4. It is eternal life. This life is but a flower that is soon withered, a vapour that is soon blown over ; but this is for ever and ever, as eternity increaseth the torment of the wicked, so the blessedness of the godly. Well, then, let this press you to keep yourselves in the love of God till this happy estate come about.
Ver. 22, 23. And of some have compassion, malcing a difference : and other's save tvithfcar, pulling them out of the fire ; hating even the garment spotted hy the flesh.
Here is the second part of the exhortation, explaining their duty towards others, or teaching them how to behave themselves to them that were gone astray.
Of some have compassion. The Vulgar readeth quite to another sense, ' and some being reproved.' Beza saith that in some Greek copies he found it 01)9 yu-ey iXeyy^ere BiaKpivofxevov; ; but the reading which we follow is to be preferred ; the other is but in few copies, is harsh in construction, and mangleth the whole context : 0&9 /-tey iXeetre ' on these have mercy.' It is a word that cometh from another word that signifieth bowels, and so noteth not only the gentleness of the censure, but the inward affection, or, as we render it, the compas- sion which we should have over them. Putting a difference, StaKpi- vofMevoL. The word hath many significations, judging, discerning ; we most fitly render it according to its usual sense and the apostle s scope.
From the 22d verse observe : —
^ Called therefore ' a crown of life,' Rev. ii, 10.
VeR. 22, 23.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 357
Ohs. 1. That reproofs must be managed with compassion and holy- grief ; our words must have bowels in them. This is like God : ' He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men,' Lam. iii. 33. There are tears in his eyes when he hath a rod in his hand. It is like Christ : ' He wept when he drew near the city,' Luke xix. 41, The Jews were his enemies, and that was the day of his solemn triumph, yet he wept : ' Oh ! that thou hadst known the things of thy peace.' It is suitable to the disposition of God's servants in all ages. Samuel left Saul, but wept for him, 1 Sam. xv. 35. Paul speaketh of very wretches that made a design of the gospel to gratify their belly concernments : ' I tell you weeping,' saith he, Phil. iii. 18, 19. There are three gounds of this holy grief : —
1. The dishonour done to God, Ps. cxix. 136. Love will be affected with the wrong of the party loved. If we see a man kill a friend or child whom we love, the ' sword would pass through our own hearts,' Luke ii. 35. Shall we see them strike at God and not be troubled ?
2. The harm and destruction men bring upon themselves, that they have no care of their own souls, Jer. xiii. 17.
3. The proneness that is in our nature to the same sin. Gal. vi. 1. Bernard's good man would weep ille hodie et ego cro,s — he to-day and I to-morrow : there is no sin in their lives but was in your nature. Well, then, it checketh them that speak of others' sins by way of reproof or censure, but with delight or petulancy of spirit ; many reproofs are lost, because there is more of passion than compassion in them. It is spiritual cruelty when you can turn a finger in your brother's wound without grief. Keproofs are delightful sometimes out of the sweetness of revenge, or hatred, and ill-will to the persons of men ; sometimes out of pride, or a desire to vaunt it and insult over others ; sometimes from self-conceit, and non-consideration of our own faultiness. Oh ! consider this is not Chiistian dealing. Paul saith, ' I am afraid lest, when I come among you, my God will humble me, and that I shall bewail many,' &c., 2 Cor. xii. 21. Many a proud Pharisee would have blustered, and threatened them with the severity of discipline ; but Paul was afraid he should have a heavy load upon his own soul.
Obs. 2. Again, and more expressly, observe, that in reproving some must be handled gently: but who arc those that must be handled gently ?
1. With the most notorious it is good to begin mildly, that they may see our good-will and desire of their salvation, 2 Tim. ii. 25. Hasty spirits cannot brook the least opposition, and therefore are all a-fire presently. How did God deal with us in our natural condition ? with what lenity and mildness? and 'spake comfortably' to us, to allure us out of the devil's snare, Hosea ii. 14.
2. The persons whom we should treat with much compassion are these : —
[1.] The ignorant and seduced. Some are of a simple and weak heart: the young men that went with Absalom 'went in the sim- plicity of their hearts, and knew not anything,' 2 Sam. xv. 11. Though swine or dogs be driven with violence, yet poor stray lambs must be brought home, as the shepherd brought home his lost sheep ' upon his