^ ' These are spota in your love feasts,' ver. 12
VeR. 24.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 363
the hand of a man ; take away tlie hnnd, and the staff falleth to the ground ; or rather, as a little infant in the nurse's hand, Hosea xi. 3 ; if we are left to our own feet w^e shall soon fall and get a knock ; created grace will never hold out against so man}' difficulties. One of the fathers bringeth in the flesh, saying, Ego dejiciam, I shall fail ; the world, Ego decijnam, I will deceive them ; the devil, Ego eripiam, I will take them away ; but God saith, Ego cuslodtam, I will keep them, never fail them, nor forsake them ; and there lieth our safety. The world is full of snares ; we are carnal, and there are carnal persons about us, and the devil is a restless enemy watching all advantages ; and surely having so much pride in us, and love of pleasures, and so many worldly desires, we give them him but too, too often. Therefore, imless God keep us, we shall be tossed to and fro like feathers with the wind of every temptation.
Obs. 2. Observe, that it is a great relief to faith to consider that God is able to keep us. Accordingly you find it urged in scripture, see John x. 28, 29, 1 Peter i. 5, Rom. xiv. 4, ' He shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand.^ The two pillars of the temple w^ere Boaz and Jachin, strength, and he loill establish ; the power of God and mercy of God are the two pillars upon which our confidence standeth. The power of God is a relief upon a threefold account : —
1. Because the great trouble of the soul ariseth from a disbelief of God's power. We stumble at his can rather than at his tcill. One said. Mat. viii. 2, ' Lord, if thou wilt thou canst;' but another said, Mark ix. 22, ' If thou canst do anything, help us.' When w^e consider our own infirmities and corrupt inclinations, and the sundry tempta- tions and allurements that we meet with in the world, the many lets and discouragements which befall us in our heavenly course, we think we shall never hold out to the end, so that want of power is our greatest trouble ; but when we ' stay ourselves upon the name of God,' and consider how almighty his power is to bear down all created op- position, it is a great relief to the soul.
2. Because the power of God is engaged to help us. It doth not simply follow that because God can keep us, that therefore he tuill keep us. But God hath promised to keep us, Jer. xxxii. 40 ; and he hnth power enough to make good his word, and therefore we cannot miscarry.
[l.J There is a charge laid upon Christ ; we are put into his hands, John X. 28. He hath not only leave to save the elect, but a charge to save the elect ; see John vi. 37, 38, 40. They are under his care, and surely he will employ the whole power of the Godhead rather than be unf.iithful. He is to be answerable for those that are given to him at the last day.
[2.] The invincible power of God is ?et a-work by his unchange- able love, so that we may be confident that what he is able to do he will do for us ; the power and authority of a relation or friend of ours in court is an encouragement whilst the friendship and relation lasteth.
3. The last reason is because the power of God is many ways exer- cised for our preservation, partly by way of internal influence, swaying the heart and inclining it to his fear. If the will of man were exempt
5G4 • AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR.
9.d.
from the dominion of God, then God had made a creatm'e too hard for himself. Partly in overruling and disposing the temptation, that it shall not be too great for us : 1 Cor. x. 13, ' Faithful is God, who will not suffer you to he tempted above what you are able to bear.' Partly, in removing the temptation, rebuking Satan and his instru- ments, &c. Well, then, commit your souls to Christ with the more confidence : 2 Tim. i. 12, * I know whom I have believed, and that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him unto that day.' When the difficulties of salvation are sufficiently understood, there will need explicit thoughts of the divine power before we can with any confidence trust ourselves with Christ, and go on with encourage- ment in well-doing.
Obs. 3. Jesus Christ will one day make a solemn presentation of his people to God ; the apostle saith here ' he will present you.' There is a threefold presentation spoken of in scripture : —
1. One made by believers themselves, Rom. xii. 1, ' I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,' and Horn. vi. 13, 'Yield yourselves unto God,' TrapaaTijaare eavrov^ tu> ©eu). When we consent to set apart ourselves for God's use, to be his in all estates, to act for him in all his businesses, then we are said to yield up or present ourselves to God.