* wandering stars,' which are of a fiery nature. A fruitful fancy can make use of all the world, and a willing mind cannot want objects of meditation. But let us come to observe something from this similitude.
Ohs. The guides of the Lord's people should be stars, but not wan- dering, gliding stars. These seducers pretended to be ' stars,' and great lights of the church (which is the office of the ministers), but were indeed ' wandering stars,' and such as did seduce and cause to err.
First, Stars they should be : — (1.) In regard of the light of doctrine : Mat. V. 14, ' Ye are the light of the world,' that is Christ's honour, John i. 9 ; but he taketh his own crown and puts it upon his servants' heads. They are the light in a subordinate sense ; stars, though not the sun ; he is the original and fountain of all light, and we are used as a means to convey it to others. Thus John is called, John v. 35,
* A burning and a shining light.' He useth our service to dispel the mists of error, the night of profaneness, and the darkness of false wor- ship. You had need prize those whom God hath set over you ; they are light, and will you ' quench the light of Israel ' ? 2 Sam. xxi. 17.
VeR. 13.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 287
(2.) In regard of the lustre of their conversations. It is said of all Christians, Phil. ii. 15, that they ' should shine as lights in this world ;' they are the bright part of the world, as the stars are the shining part of heaven ; as the star directed the wise men to Christ, so they must shine to light others by their example to him, as it is required of all Christians, much more of ministers, who are placed in a higher orb and sphere. Alas ! we are but dim lights ; we have our spots and eclipses, but this sets the world a-talking.
Secondly, They must not be gliding tailing stars ; that is charged upon these seducers. A false teacher and a falling star symboliseth in three respects : — (1.) It is but a counterfeit star; so is he an 'angel of light ' only in appearance, 2 Cor. xi. 14. A true Christian should covet more to be than to seem to be ; to be ' light in the Lord ' before he is a ' light in the world.' Hypocrites are all for appearance. (2.) In respect of the uncertainty of its motion. Falling stars are not moved with the heavens, but with the motion of the air, hither and thither, and so are no sure direction. So are they inconstant and unstable in the doctrines which they teach, running from opinion to opinion ; vagabond lights, that seduce, not direct, as meteors mislead travellers out of the way. (3.) In regard of the fatal issue. A wandering star falleth to the ground, and becometh a dark slime and jelly ; so their pretences vanish at length, and they are found to be those that were never enlightened and fixed in the firmament of God ; counterfeits cannot last long ; we see stars shoot in the turn of an eye, and Satan's instruments fall from heaven like lightning.
Well, then, for a guide to heaven, choose a star, but not a wander- ing star. New light is admired, but it should be suspected rather. Usually we are rather for things new than excellent : Jiomini inr/enitum est magis nova qiiam magna mirari, saith Seneca. We gaze more on a comet than the sun. Check this itch ; those that are various and given to changes are no lights for you ; and if they be not burning and shining lights, avoid them. True stars have influences ; they do not only enlighten and fill you with notions, but inflame and stir you to practice.
The last clause of the text is, io wliom is reserved blackness of darkness for ever. Having described them in several metaphors, he cometh to speak again of their punishment, continuing the last meta- phor, as some suppose, as glaring meteors after a while vanish into a perpetual night aud darkness, and are no more seen and heard of ; so these vanish, and are swallowed up of the horrors of eternal darkness. In this threatening three things are notable: — (1.) The dreadfulness of the punishment ; (2.) The sureness ; (3.) The suitableness of it.
1. The dreadfulness, in two circumstances: — (1.) The nature of it; (2.) The duration of it.
[1.] The nature of it, 6 ^o^o<; rod cr/coTou?, ' the blackness of dark- ness.' It is a Hebraism for exceeding great darkness, called in the gospel TO cr/coTo? TO i^coTepov, ' outer darkness,' as being furthest from God, the fountain of life and glory, and so expressing that extreme misery, horror, and torment wliich is in hell. Hell is a dark and dis- mal region, where men lie deprived of the light of God's countenance, tormented with presence of devils, and become the burden of their own
288 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. 13.
thouglits, calling to remembrance their past sins, and having an active sense of their present pains, and dreadfully looking still for future judgment; but of this before.^ Well, then, let us not begin our hell ourselves, by shunning God's presence, by preferring carnal pleasures before the light of his countenance, by remaining in the night or dark- ness of ignorance or error, by darkening the glory of our holy profes- sion through scandalous living, by sinning against conscience, and so providing food for the gnawing worm, or matter of despair to ourselves to all eternity. Briefly, let us beware of a dark and doubtful condi- tion ; it carrieth too great a proportion with hell ; the more bondage we have, the more ' fearful looking for of judgment,' the more are we like the damned ; as the more assured and possessed of God's love, the more like the blessed; joy in the Holy Ghost is the suburbs of heaven.