1 Qu. ' clear ' ?— Ed. VOL. V. O
210 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. 6.
of Christ, and of the good angels and the saints. After this they shall be adjudged to horrible torments. Hell is their freehold and portion, ' prepared for the devil and his angels,' Mat. xxv. 41. The quality and nature of their torment we cannot so easily determine, nor what that fire is that shall burn spirits ; only the scripture showeth they are ' cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone,' Rev. xxi. 8, where they shall suffer torments without end and without ease. When heaven's joys are full, then are hell's torments full also ; and therefore, though for the present they are under God's wrath, yet they do not taste the dregs of it ; he exerciseth some patience towards them. They have an empire and a ministry in the world, but when all former things are done away, and Christ's glory is fully shown to the world, then will he take full vengeance of his enemies. Well, then, from hence learn : —
1. That the wicked's judgment is not as yet full. At the great day then shall it be more increased upon the union of soul and body ; they shall drink ' the dregs of the cup of wrath unmixed.' In this life we are adding sin to sin, and in the next God will be adding torment to torment. Oh ! what a sad train of judgments followeth a sinner ! For the present he hath hell in his own conscience ; they sip of the cup of wrath in the bondage and horrors now upon them, and at death these are more revived, and made more lively and active. But con- sider, after all this there is worse behind, torments insufferable, pre- sently upon the separation, for then they are in prison, 1 Peter iii. 9, detained in a fearful expectation of further judgment : Luke xvi. 24. ' I am horribly tormented in this flame.' But after this, at Christ's coming to judgment, these torments are increased, and therefore the apostle speaketh as if he did not take vengeance before : 2 Thes. i. 7, ' He shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance,' &c ; because then it is fully executed. Do not add drunkenness to thirst, lest God add to your plagues.
2. The most miserable creatures are suffered to enjoy some degree of God's patience. For the present God is patient. As to the fallen angels, sure I am to sinning man, ' in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die.' The fuU execution of that sentence is put off to the day of judgment ; reprobates are endured ' with much long-suffering,' Rom. ix. 22. Intermissions God gives in this life, respite to bodies till the last day. Adore his goodness, do not abuse it.
3. Origen's charity was too large, who dreamed of KaOdpaiov irvp, a flaming river, through which all creatures were to pass, and so to be purged, and then at length to be saved, even the devils themselves; whereas they are kept for a severer judgment.
4. When you see wicked men endured, and not presently cast into hell, be not astonished ; God hath a ministry for them as for the evil angels. Some are ' reserved to the day of judgment,' 2 Peter ii. 9 ; that is, their punishment is respited for the greater triumph of that day.
5. One judgment may make way for another, the chains of darkness for the judgment of the great day. Let no man please himself in that he suffereth afflictions in this world ; these may be but the beginnings of sorrow. God is teirible to poor sinners as well as rich. You may be miserable here, and yet not escape in the world to come. Do not
VeR. 6.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 211
think the worst is past. Some have a double hell, such miseries here as are pledges of everlasting torments hereafter.
6. Devils fear the great day. An atheistical loose Christian is worse than Satan. He scoffeth at that at which the devil trembleth. There are atheists in the church, but there are none in hell.
7. Angels are brought to judgment. None are exempted. At the great day you shall see those glorious creatures bound with chains of darkness. The kings and captains are brought in trembling before the Lamb's throne, Rev. vi. 15, and great as well as small appear be- fore that great tribunal, Rev. xx. 12.
8. The angels are plunged into the depths of hell, when saints enter into their master's joy. God loveth a returning sinner before an apos- tate angel.
Obs. 2. There is one point yet behind, with which I shall conclude this verse, and that is, that the day of judgment is a great day. It is so in many regards.
First, Because it is the consummate act of Christ's regal office. Of all offices, Christ's kingly office is the most eminent. Now the kingly office was never discovered with so much lustre and glory to the world as then. The eminent act of other offices do more belong to his abase- ment. As his oblation, an eminent act of his priestly office, was to be jjerformed upon earth, so his prophetical office was much discharged in delivering the doctrine of the gospel whilst he was here ; but of his kingly office we had but a very little glimpse during his abode upon earth, in his whipping the buyers and sellers out of the temple, and his entrance into Jerusalem, when they cried Hosanna in the streets, Mat. xxi. And now in heaven Christ is supreme ; but his sovereignty lieth under a cloud and veil : ' All things are put under him.' But carnal sense objects, ' We see not as yet all things put under him,' Heb. ii. 8. But at the last day Christ will show himself to be king indeed, both in rewarding his friends, and in an absolute conquest over his enemies, which are the two great parts of his regal office. Therefore the day of judgment is called rjfxepa Kvptov, ' the day of the Lord,' 2 Peter iii. 10, as being the day wherein Christ shall manifest himself to be a Lord indeed : (1.) In rewarding his friends. When David was crowned at Hebron, then all that followed him in the wil- derness were rewarded according to the merit of their place and ser- vice. Before they had hard service and little wages, but then were made captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties. So they that are true to the interest of Christ may meet with many a frown and hard entertainment in the world, but 5'ou will not repent of it in the day of Christ's ro3'alty : Mat. xxv. 34, ' Then shall the king say,' &c. He is called ' the Son of man' before; but then you will find a * king' rewarding all his subjects. Peter was troubled about his petty losses"; * Master,' saith he, ' we have forsaken all and followed thee.' What had Peter to forsake ? A net, a cottage, a fishing-boat. A great all ! We are apt to think much of what we part with upon Christ's score. If we suffer but a disgraceful word, a small inconvenience, a frown, we presently say, ' What shall we have therefor?' But we need not seek another paymaster than Christ. He will not be behindhand with us when the day of payment cometh.