Thirdly, It teacheth us to be more awe-full ; all fear is not slavish. The angels, that have a pure nature, are afraid to sin ; we have a mixed nature : corruption is already gotten into our souls, and therefore have more need of caution ; as they that have an enemy without and a treach- erous party within have need to watch and ward. Fear is all the remedy left us ; we cannot stop the flux of natural corruption, but we may withstand a natural temptation. As the angels resist the admis- sion of sin, so let us withstand the increase and propagation of it ; we are always in the presence of God, and shall we affront him to his face ? Fear keepeth the angels pure and us holy, them from the admission of sin, and us from the commission of it : so Solomon saith, ' Blessed is he that feareth always,' Pi-ov. xxviii. 14 ; that is, not that perplexeth himself with needless terrors and scruples ; that were a torture, not a blessedness ; that is the devils' fear, who ' believe and tremble.' But when we are always cautious, out of a deep respect to God, that we dare not offend him at any time, this is a blessed fear, like the good angels' fear ; as Michael here ' durst not bring a railing accusation.'
Ohs. 9. The next point is from that a railing accusation. In the
YeR. 9.] UrON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 259
original it is Kpicriv ^acr<^r]fila<i, 'the judgment or sentence of blas- phemy, or evil-speaking.' The meaning is, such unworthy language as would not become any serious judgment or process ; and because the angel was a party, not a judge, we translate it not a railing judgment, but a railing accusation. Thence observe, that to the worst adver- sary in the best cause, railing and reviling must not be used : ' Michael, when contending with the devil about the body of Moses/ &c. The reasons are: —
1. Because such reproaches come from an evil principle, contempt or passion, both of which argue pride. One that over-valueth himself disdaineth others ; and stormeth when he is crossed, as a full stream roareth and swelleth when it meeteth with a dam and obstruction.
2. Such reproaches are most unsuitable to matters of religion. The God of peace will not be served with a wrathful spirit, and Christ's warfare needeth no carnal weapons. Christianity of all religions is the meekest and most humble ; the foundation of it is the Lamb slain, and the consignation and sealing of it is by the Spirit, who de- scended in the form of a dove, both emblems of a modest humility ; and should a meek religion be defended by the violence and fury of our passions ? Cursing doth ill become them that are called to ' inherit a blessing,' 1 Peter iii. 9.
3. They are flatly against the word. The scripture is a great friend to the peace of human societies, for it condemneth the least offensive word and gesture : Isa. Iviii. 9, ' Thou shalt put away from thee the yoke, and the putting forth of the finger ;' a gesture of indignation, and therefore God would have it laid aside, even the putting forth of the finger, as well as the yoke broken. So see Mat. v. 22, ' But I say unto you. Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, is in danger of the judgment : and whosoever shall say unto his brother, Baca, is in danger of the council : and whosoever shall say. Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire.' The Scribes and Pharisees had re- strained the sixth commandment to the gross act of murder ; Christ telleth them that rash anger, with all the expressions of it, is murder. His expressions allude to the courts of the Jews ; three there were specially among them — the lowest, the middle, and the highest. Their lowest judicatory was of three men, who took cognisance of lighter matters, as injuries and strifes about goods, and things of a ])ecuniary concernment ; this court was set up in lesser towns that had few in- habitants. The second court was of three and twenty men, before whom the weightiest causes were brought : concerning the life of a man, all capital crimes, or if an ox had gored a man or woman, or in case of any abominable commixtion with a beast, if a woman approached to a beast, &c., Lev^ xx. 16. This court was set up in all the cities of Palestine, and was called the lesser Sanhedrim ; and because Jeru- salem was the head city, the seat of the prince and temple was there, therefore, in that city were two of these lesser Sanhedrims : the lower sate in the Gate of the 3Iountain, that is, that gate which gave en- trance to the mountain of the temple ; the other, being the higher, sate in the Gate of Ezra, near the porch of the temple. The third judica- tory was the greater Sanhedrim, which consisted of seventy men, in imitation of the counsel of God to Moses, Num. xi. 16. This was the
260 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. 9.