Ohs. 7. Once more from thence observe, that of all speeches men's 'hard speeches' shall be produced at the day of judgment. Now, what are these hard speeches ? I answer — Either such as have anger in them, as Solomon speaketh of the ' fro ward mouth and perverse lips,' Prov. iv. 24, when men breathe nothing but fire, and drop coals instead of words ; or such as have pride in them, or contempt of others, as when we lessen their abilities, insult over their miseries : ' They speak to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded,' see Ps. Ixix. 26 ; or triumph over their slips and failings ; this is to pour salt and vinegar into new wounds.
Again, such as have bitterness and malice in them, as calumnies and reproaches : Ps. Ixiv. 3, 4, ' They bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words.' By whisperings and clancular suggestions they wound the credit of God's servants, and so bring them into dis- esteem wdth others. Well, then, be not hasty to utter hard speeches, especially against God's children : Num. xii. 8, ' Were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses ? ' The repetition of these hard speeches will be sad notes to your ears at the last day.
Ohs. 8. The next note is, that of all hard speeches those are the worst which do most directly reflect upon the honour and glory of Christ ; for so it is in the text, — hard si^eeches spoken against him. Now, hard speeches against Christ are either blasphemies against either of his natures ; — the Ebionites denied him to be God ; the Valentinians made him a fantastical man, or a man only in appearance ; — or murmurings against his providence and regimen of the world: 'Your words have been stout against me,' Mai. iii. 13. When we tax and excuse 1 providence, as if the Lord were blind, careless, unjust, or injurious in his dealings : ' The Lord shall not see, he shall neither do good nor evil ; how should the Most High know ?' or when we scoff at his word, as these, Jer. xxiii. 36, 'The burden of the Lord, the burden of the Lord ; every man's word shall be his burden.' Because the prophets usually began their sermons with this preface, ' The burden of the Lord,' they scoflingly were wont to say, What burden have you for us to day ? Now, saith the prophet, this shall return into your bosoms, ' your words shall be your burden.' So also when we speak against his ways, calling zeal fury, strictness a foolish preciseness, and godli- ness puritanism. O Christians ! these hard speeches will cost dear, here or hereafter. It is possible that blasphemy repented of may be be forgiven, Mat. xii. 31 ; but when you are brought home to Christ it wdll cost you bitter pangs and a sound remorse.
^ Qu. 'accuse'? — Ed.
VeR. 16.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE, 299
Ver. 16, These are murmurers, complainers, loalking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great sivelling ivorcls, having mens persons in admiration because of advantage.
Here the apostle coineth to make application, and to prove that these were such as Enoch had described, and therefore liable to the judgment threatened. Here are several things charged; I shall take them in order: —
The first thing is their unsatisfiedness with their present condition, expressed in two words: — (1.) 3Iurmurers ; (2.) Compilainers.
The first word, ^yoyyvaToL, signifieth such a muttering as men use when they are under a passion and discontent. The other word, jjueix-^llxoipoL, signifieth hlamers of their lot and portion ; namely, of that portion which is set out for them by God ; the one implieth their discontented thoughts, the other their querulous expressions, Note hence : —
Ohs. 1. That murmuring is a great sin. It is so charged here upon the seducers. I shall, first, show what murmuring is ; secondly, prove that it is a great sin.
First, What it is. One saith well,^ it must needs be known, because it is so commonly practised ; but if you will have me describe it, I shall say, it is the sciim of discontent, or the vent of impatience, or such bold expostulations and complaints as flow from an exulcerated mind. In the text, you see first men mutter and then complain ; the heart boileth with impatience, and then the froth is cast out in passionate speeches and complaints. Humble complaints are not murmuring, else there would be no room for prayer ; but bold expostulations are murmurings, when we complain rather of God than to God, taxing the administration of his providence, as if he dealt too hardly with us ; so that in effect murmuring is an anti-providejice, first cherished by repining thoughts, and then vented and uttered in bold and uncomely speeches. Thoughts are audible with God, but it is worse when thoughts are not controlled, but break out openly in words tending to God's dishonour ; if the fire be kindled in our bosoms, it is some kind of victory if we smother it, and will not let the sparks fly abroad.
There are several kinds of murmuring— either against men, or against God, though in the issue all be against God, against God about men. 1. Against men, and so either against our equals or superiors. [1.] Equals, when we murmur because they are admitted to the same privileges with ourselves: see Mat. xx. 11, 'They murmured against the goodman of the house, saying. These last wrought but one hour.' So Luke xv. 30, ' This thy son devoured thy living with harlots,' &c. And Beza, of some that reproached him with the sins of his unregenerate condition : Hi homines invident mihi gratiam Divinam — surely these men are angry because God hath showed me mercy. There is an envious nature in man : we would all shine alone, and inclose the common salvation. To upbraid men with late con- version is all one as to make it a crime because they are born but yesterday: it is to take up that filth which God would have covered.