Quest. 3. The next question is, who is meant by Michael the arch- angel ?
Ans. Michael is the name of his person, and archangel of his office. Michael signifieth he is strong God., or who is lilce the strong God, and therefore some apply it to Jesus Christ, who in many places of scripture is set forth as ' head of angels.' See Exod. iii. 2 with 4, and Exod. xxiii. 20-22; Gen, xlviii. 16; and in Dan. xii. 1, and X. 13. Jesus Christ seemeth there to be intended by Michael, he
VeR. 9.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 243
being the Prince of Israel. But there is no necessity of interpreting those places in Daniel of Clirist, much less is he intended here, it being beneath the dignity of his person to contend with the devil, which though he did in his humiliation, Mat. iv., yet to do it before that was unworthy of him ; besides, that phrase, he durst not, is not so applicable to Jesus Christ, and besides, Christ and the archangel are in scripture distinguished, yea, Peter applieth this to angels in general, ' whereas angels,' 2 Peter ii. 11. But you will object, how can any creature be called Michael, equal to God in poiuer and strength ? I answer — It may be taken (1.) Absolutely, and so it is proper to Christ, who is God's fellow, Zech, xiii. 7 ; (2.) Comparatively, and so it may be applied to him who is highest in dignity among the crea- tures, and is next to God in excellency and strength, and so it may imply the highest angel, as in hell there is a Beehebuh, or a chief devil ; therefore it is said, Mat, xxv., ' The devil and his angels.' So in heaven there may be a 3Iichael, one highest in order among the blessed angels.
Quest. 4. Why should the devil so earnestly dispute about the body of Moses ?
Ans. The rabbins, among others of their fables, interpret it of the desire which the devil had to destroy Moses by death, there being no man like Moses, that ' saw God face to face.' Therefore his rage was great against him, and he sought to destroy him ; and to this purpose applies that of the psalmist : Ps. xxxvii, 32, ' The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him/ Among Christians some say this striving was before, some after, his burial ; some before his burial, as Junius, that his body might not be removed out of sight, but he might satisfy his rage and malice upon it in abusing it. But that is not so probable, the body being suddenly disposed of by God to some secret place of burial. Some say after burial the devil sought to take it up again, and upon that ground arose this contention between him and Michael. But why should the devil contend so much about the buried body of Moses ? To answer this we must consider what might be the ends of God's concealing his burial. Possibly this might be done lest in a preposterous zeal they should yield honour to the dead body of such a famous and excellent prophet, and so it might become a snare to the people. Possibly there might be something typical in it — the dead body of Moses was buried in an unknown place, lest they should take it up, and carry it into the land of Canaan — to signify the aboli- tion of the legal ordinances, under the evangelic state. So that to revive the antiquated ceremonies of the law now is to but rake up Moses' dead body. Now the devil may be supposed to contend for the body of Moses, partly out of obstinate curiosity, whereby sinful creatures are strongly inclined to desire things forbidden ; partly to defeat the purposes of God ; but chiefly by dead Moses to set up him- self in the hearts of the living, seeking thereby to provoke them to a worship of his relics or remains.
These questions premised, the explication of the words is easy. Micliael the archancjel ; that is, some principal angel deputed to this ministry and service. When he contended luith the devil, Sta^oXro BiaKptvofievo^;. The word signifieth an altercation or contention in words, a dispute with the devil. About the hodrj of Moses, about the
244 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. 9.
knowledge of the place of his burial. Burst not^ his fear of God, modesty, and meekness would not permit him. Bring against him a railing accusation, Kplcnv eTrevejKelv /3\aa(j)T]/xLa<;, ' the judgment of blasphemy,' or such unworthy language as the heat of contention is wont to provoke and extort from us. But said, The Lord rebuke thee. It is a modest referring of the matter to Grod's cognisance, or a prayer that the Lord would check this malicious opposition. Observations are many : —
Ohs. 1. Observe, that to aggravate their virulency, he compares it with the modesty of an archangel ; whence note, that pride and con- tempt in them of a low degree is less tolerable than in those whom God hath advanced to a higher rank and sphere. Partly because these have less temptation to be proud ; and when a sin is committed without a temptation it is a sign that the heart is strongly inclined that way, as there needeth no force to make a bowl run down hill, because of its natural tendency. Their wants and meanness should keep them humble ; we look that the fire should go out when the fuel is taken away. When men have nothing to be proud of, the want of an opportunity should make men at least forbear the sin. Partly because they have more reason to be humble ; as the rich and great have reason to be thankful, so the poor have reason to be humble. With a low condition there should be a lowly mind: 'It is better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,' &c., Prov. xvi. 19. Well, then, poverty and pride are most unsuitable ; pride is allowable in none, but in the poor most prodigious. It is an odd sight to see those of the highest rank turn fashionists, and display the ensigns of their own vanity ; but when servants, and those of a low degree, put themselves into the garb, these are prodigies of pride. As the modesty of the archangel was an upbraiding to the pride of the Gnostics, so should those that are advanced to the highest degree of honour shame the meaner sort with their comely plainness. Again, to see men of the greatest sufficiencies humble in style and mind, and denying their great parts for the sake of the simplicity of the gospel ; it is a shame that persons of low parts should be puft'ed up, and appear flaunting in the pomp of words, or blustering in Greek and Latin sentences, as if all reading and learned worth were their own. The apostle condemned the Corinthians for the pompous use of tongues in the church, and shameth them by his own example : 1 Cor. xiv. 18, ' I thank God I speak with tongues more than you all ; yet rather,' &c.