^ ' Kadapdis iXKdfj.fts.' — Naz.
VeR. 15.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 293
Ohs. 6. From that luWi ten thousand of Ms saints. When Christ Cometh to judgment, his saints come to judge the world with him. When the wicked are filled with amazement, they come in Christ's company, partly that the world may know what shall be done to the men whom God will honour, and that Christ may be ' admired ' in the glory he putteth upon them, 2 Thes. i. 10 : partly that Christ may make them partakers of the mediatory kingdom ; therefore they are associated with him in judging the world, Mat. xix. 28 ; their suffrage is required as approving the sentence of the judge, 2 Cor, vi. 2 : partly for the greater sorrow of the wicked ; they shall be judged by mean men, whom they once hated and j^ersecuted : Ps. xlix. 14, ' The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning,' that is, of the resur- rection ; they counted their lives madness and folly, but now they are exalted : partly to make amends for the perverse censures of worldly men ; now they are judged every day, counted the off-scouring and re- proach of men ; but then the Lord will clear up their innocency, and they shall sit as justices with the judge upon the bench. Well, then — (1.) Be saints, if you would have a saints privilege. Felons may be jovial in the prison, but they tremble at the bar ; they are happiest that have joy and boldness at Christ's appearance. When wicked men come like miserable captives, how shall the saints arise out of their graves like ' sons of the morning,' they and angels intermixed in the train of Christ ! What is wanting here is richly made up there. (2.) Walk as those that shall be associated with Christ in judging the world ; walk with Christ now, and you shall come with him then : ' Follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth.' When he is crowned at Hebron he will not forget his old companions ; cleave to him, cry not up a confederacy with them that cry up a confederacy against him. He will say to you, You have been with me in all my sufferings and sorrows, now you shall be with me in my glory, Mat. xix. 27, 28. Again, judge the world now, condemn them by your lives, as knowing that you shall condemn them hereafter by your vote and suffrage. Noah ' condemned the world,' Heb, xi. 7. A serious Christian is a living reproof ; a carnal pro- fessing hypocrite justifieth the wicked : 'Ye have justified your sister Sodom,' see Ezek. xvi. ; but a sincere Christian condemneth them.
Ohs. 7. From that luith ten thousand saints. At Christ's appear- ance his train shall consist of multitudes of saints and holy angels. Now they are but as ' two or three berries upon the top of the upper- most bough,' scattered here and there as God hath work and service for them to do ; but when they appear together in that great rendez- vous, they are ' a number which no man can number ; ' see Rev. v. 11, and Rev. vii. 9. It is a comfort against the paucity and smallness of those that are upright with God. In heaven we shall have company enough ; God's family, when it cometli altogether, is very numerous, or rather innumerable, Heb. xii. 23. As the wicked shall be exposed to the fellowship of devils, and persons like themselves, where the company shall add to the torment, so shall we be called to a ' great assembly,' Ps, i. 5, and to bear a part with that glorious train which cometh with Christ.
Ver. 15. To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have un-
294 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. 15.
godly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Having described the judge, with his attendants, he cometh to describe his work, which is to convince and execute judgment, together with the persons against whom he will thus proceed, all that are un- godly amongst them : as also the grounds and reasons of the process, because of their ungodly practices and hard speeches against Christ.
Some say the 14th verse doth only contain the prophecy of Enoch, and that these words are the apostle's application or explication of it ; but improbably, the words running on in a continued sense or form of speech, and the application is at the 16th verse.
To execute judgment; it is a hysteron proteron; the last act is put first, execution before conviction or arraignment. Upo7i all,tha.t is,upon all such as are here spoken of, upon all the ungodly ; for judgment is not executed iipon the saints, but /or them. A7id to convince, iXey^ai; it implieth such a clear proof that we see it is impossible things should be other- wise at the day of judgment ; wicked men are ' speechless,' Mat. xxii., and ' self-condemned.' All that are ungodly amongst them ; that is, amongst the wicked^ and the severity of the process is chiefly bent against those that are ungodly. Of all their ungodly deeds; in the Grreek, ' the deeds of their ungodliness.' Now ungodliness here is not taken in its proper sense, for denying God his due honour and worship, but for any opposition against his servants, worship, truth. Which in an ungodly manner they have committed, &v 'rjcrel37]aav ; which argueth the malice and spite which they bewrayed in their oppositions and reproaches. And of all their hard speeches, aKkripSiv ; ' hard,' as applicable to things as well as speeches. Our speeches are here intended, as appeareth by the following clause. Wicked practices and an evil tongue are seldom severed; that by hard speeches is meant any proud, taunting, cursed, or contumelious language. See 1 Sam. ii. 3, in the Hebrew, and Ps. xciv. 4, ' How long shall they utter and speak hard things, and the workers of iniquity boast themselves ? ' Which ungodly sinners; not only sinnei's, but ungodly sinners, for the greater emphasis ; see Ps. i. 1. Against him ; that is, against himself, against his person, or messengers, or truths, ordinances ; for what is spoken against any of these is spoken against Christ himself.