^ ' Fides una et eadem, non respectu subjectorum graduum sed respectu objecti finis.'
102 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. 3.
those that said, ' I am of Christ,' were counted a faction too, 1 Cor. i. 12, as arrogating Christ to themselves ; therefore the apostle writing to them, saith, 1 Cfor. 1, 2, ' To the saints at Corinth, and all that call on the Lord Jesus Christ, theirs and ours.' We are apt to be rigid to those that differ from us, and to be favourable to those that think with us. Tertullian ^ saith of some in his time, Illic ipsum est promereri — it is holiness enough to be one of them. Oh ! let it not be so among the people of God ! do not nullify your brethren. Eom. xiv. 10, ' Why dost thou set at nought thy brethren ? rl e^ovdevel<;, Tertullian rendereth it. Cur nullijicas fratremf When God hath made a Christian of him, why dost thou make nothing of him ? and cry up every private opinion for another religion, as if none could be saints and believers but they that think with you ? Take heed of impaling the common salvation ; inclosures are against the law.
3. It showeth that there are not several ways to heaven, there is but one ' common salvation ' to all the elect, and one ' common faith,' as Paul saith, Titus i. 4, ' To Titus my own son according to the common faith.' There are a sort of libertines that think a man may be saved in any religion, so he doth not walk against his own light. Do not flatter yourselves ; all the elect are brought to heaven the same way, ' whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free ;' there is a good old way, Jer. vi. 16, which if we miss we are sure to perish.
4. It informeth us who are best to deal in matters of religion ; those that are religious, that can call it a ' common salvation ; ' that is, common to them with others ; they have share in it, and therefore they can best defend it. Differences are aggravated when carnal men intermeddle in religious controversies, but those are likest to deal with most purity of zeal and love that can say your salvation is their salva- tion ; so in the next verse, ' They turn the grace of our God into wantonness ; ' they that have an interest in grace cannot endure to see it abused.
5. It forbiddeth scorn of the meanest Christian. They have as good hopes through grace as you have in Jesus Christ ; all are one, master and servant, rich and poor. Onesimus, a poor runagate ser- vant, yet being converted, Paul calleth him his ' faithful and beloved brother,' Philem. 10. In earthly relation there is a difference, yet in regard of the common faith and common salvation we are all one.
I have now done with the first part of the occasion, his earnestness in promoting their good. I now come to the second part, the urgency of the present necessity : It luas needful for me to lorite to you, and exhort you, which is said to show that this epistle was not only occa- sioned by the fervency of his own love, but the present exigence and necessity as affairs then stood. ; the school of Simon, the Gnostics, and divers other heretics of a like loose strain and libertine spirit, sought to witlidraw and alienate them from the truth, for that was the necessity here expressed, as appeareth by the next verse. Exhorta- tions, the more necessary, the more pressing ; need quickens both writer and reader ; and the less arbitrary things are, the more tho- roughly we go about them.
Obs. 1. Observe from hence, that necessity is a time for duty ; neces-
^ Tertul. in Prsescrip .adversus Hicreticos.
VeR. 3.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 103
sity is God's season to work, and therefore it should be ours : ' For a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness,' 1 Peter i. 6. Duties are best done when we see they are needful and necessary ; things that are arbitrary are done with a loose heart ; the creatures' duty towards God begins at the sense of their own wants : James i. 5, ' If any man lack wisdom,' &c. Well, then, take this hint for prayer and other services ; if there be a need, omit not to call upon God : as when dis- tempers grow upon the spirit, the heart is unquiet, the affections unruly, a deadness increaseth upon you, temptations are urgent, and, too strong for you, cry out of violence, as the ravished virgins. So when conscience is incessantly clamorous, David could not find ease till he confessed, Ps. xxxii. 5. Silence will cause roaring, and restraint of prayer, disquiet. Again, if there be a need, omit not to call upon men by exhortation and counsel, as when you see things grow worse every day, and can hold no longer : the king's danger made the king's dumb son speak : Paul was ' forced in spirit when he saw the whole city given to idolatry,' Acts xvii. 16. When we see men by whole droves running into error, and ways destructive to their souls, is there not a need ? is it not a time to speak ? Men say we are bitter, but we must be faithful. So they say the physician is cruel, and the chirurgeon a tyrant, when their own distempers need so violent a remedy: can we see you perish, and hold our peace ?