112 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. 3.
scriptures ; tliey fancy the time of the law to be the days of the Father, the time of the gospel to be the days of the Son, and the latter end of the world to be sceculum Spiriius Sancti (as the Weigelians phrase it), the age of the Holy Ghost; but foolishly, for these are ' the last times,' Acts ii, 17, and Heb. i. 1 ; and the Holy Ghost was never more gloriously poured out than at Christ's ascension, and greater things cannot be revealed to us than ' God in Christ reconciling the ■world.' Lastly, it is for the comfort of the saints that their salvation is put into a stated course, and God hath showed you what you must do if you would inherit eternal life.
Thirdly, The next circumstance is the persons to whom it was de- livered, to the sa hits. It may be understood of the apostles, to whom it was delivered to be propagated ; or of the church, to whom it was delivered to be kept, and who, in the constant use of scripture, are called saints. Observe, that saints are most interested in the acknowledgment, propagation, and defence of truth. The Christian faith was delivered to saints, and hy saints, and none receive it so willingly, and defend it so zealously, and keep it so charily and faithfully as they do. (1.) The men that the Spirit of God made use of as penmen were ' holy men,' specially purified and sanctified for this work : 2 Peter i, 21, 'Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost;' and Eph. iii. 5, ' Kevealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.' These men were the fittest instruments to beget an external repute to the word. Surely they would not do anything for their own ends, and obtrude their own inventions upon the world as oracles from God. A carnal man's testimony is liable to suspicion. Who would count that wholesome that cometh from a leprous hand ? Yea, those that were not of eminent sanctity were not fit for such an employment : a novel doctrine, such as the gospel seemed to be in the world, needed all the advantages that might be, to gain a title and interest in their belief ; therefore did the Lord make use of such holy and self-denying persons, who expected to gain nothing but ignominy, poverty, afflic- tions, bonds, death ; these things did abide for them in every city. (2.) Holy persons are only fit to preach the faith ; sancta Sanctis, holy men for holy things ; it is an holy faith, and therefore fit to be managed by holy persons, that their hearts may carry a proportion with their work: Isa. Iii. 11, 'Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.' The officers that carried the vessels and utensils of the temple out of Babylon were to take care of their cleanness. God purified Isaiah when he sent him to reprove, Isa. vi. 7, and the priests under the law that ministered before the Lord were to wash in the great laver. Ke- generation is the best preparation for the ministry. Others disparage their testimony, and bring a reproach upon the gospel. People think we must say somewhat for our living, and so give us the hearing, but that is all. Oh I think of it, the credit of Christ lieth at stake ; and since miracles are ceased, all the external confirmation that we can add to the word is by holiness of conversation. The Levites first cleansed themselves, and then cleansed the people, Neh. xii. 30. The life of a minister is much either to edification or destruction ; they take the lesson rather from your lives than your mouths, and by your levity or vanity sin cometh to be authorised : in short, either your
VeR. 3.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 113
doctrine will make your life bliisli, or your life will make your doctrine blush, and be ashamed.^ (3.) None are fit publicly to defend the truth but the holy ; they speak with more power, as from the heart and inward experience, and are more zealous as being more nearly concerned. They that partake of God's nature will soonest espouse God's cause and quarrel, and their zeal is most pure. Carnal men pervert religious differences ; they change the nature of them, turning them into a strife of words, or a contention for interests ; matters are not managed so purely as when there is conscience on both sides. The saints contend best for the saints' faith : ' We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth,' 2 Cor. xiii. 8. Zeal in carnal men is like fire in straw, quickly up and quickly down ; but in the godly, it is like fire in wood, longer kept: ' Wisdom is justified of her children,' Mat. xi. 19 ; they are fittest to interpose. Again, false zeal is most passionate, without pity and meekness ; but the flame is most pure and bright in a holy heart, which is subdued to the power of truth. (4.) None receive the truth so willingly as the saints do. Holy persons can best understand what was written by holy men, they pierce into it more deeply ; as iron that is red hot runneth further into the board than a sharp tool that is cold. God unbosometh himself to his familiars, Ps. xxv. 14 ; John vii. 17. Holy hearts are not clouded with the mists of lusts and interests. Where there is purity there is brightness ; fxov Kd6apai<; eWafi^^L'^ {Nazi. Orat. ut memini 40) ; the mind being separated from gross things, is fitted for the reception of spiritual mysteries, Paul saw most of God when he was blind to the world ; the heart being taken off from the world, is erected to things supernatural and of a higher cognisance. (5.) None retain the truth more firmly than the saints do. Manna was kept in a golden vessel, and so is truth in a pure soul : 1 Tim. iii. 9, ' Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.' Holiness doth not blunt the wit, but sharpen ; none have a worse spiritual sight than they that lack grace, 2 Peter i. 9. An unclean vessel soureth the liquor that is put into it ; so doth a carnal heart pervert the faith and taint the judgment. Let a man once be given up to some great lust, and you shall soon find him to be given up to some roaring error also ; and when once they come to ' make shipwreck of a good conscience/ they do not long hold the faith that was once given to the saints, for grace and truth always thrive together,