The Pulpit Commentary — Jude — Section 30

possible in this world entirely to separate the godly from the ungodly. It is impossible for minist.erR to read the hearts of men so surely as to keep a sharp line of distinction between believeri; 11nd unbelievers. Yet the discipline of the Church ought to enforce a conformity to the forms of their profession. (b) 'l'hese seducers were unlH guests Rt a feast designed to commemorate the unity of the body of Christ and the brotherhood of all believers. "Who shall abide in thy tabernacle? " 3. 1'hey feasted themselves luxuriously, regardles.~ of the porn·. Their conduct reminds one of the shepherds of lerael. "Woe be to the shepherds of Israel, that do feed themselves I should not the shepherds feed the flock?" (Ezek. xxxiv. 2). (1) They feasted immoderately. "Their hearts were oppressed with surfeiting." Like the Israelites in their idolatry, "they i;at down to eat and to drink" (Exod. xxxii. 6). (2) They wronged the poor, whom they suffered to fast while they were feasting. II. 'l'HEIR EMPTINESS AND IKSTABILITY. "Clouds without water, carded aloncr hy winds." 1. Instead of being like clouds dropping ref,·eshing rain upon the earth they as rainless clouds, while promising much, were p1·ofitless and disappointing to the' hope; of the Church. They could not give what they had not, but they professed to have something to give. Their deluded followers "spent their money for that which was not bread, and their labour for that which satisfied not." When people are athirst for God-" the heart panting for the water-brooks "-it is bard to find no water at hand to satisfy the soul. Yet the Lord says, "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." It is a great sin to profess a goodness to which we are utterly opposed, because (1) it profanes God's Name; (2) it grieves the hearts of true saints; (3) it hardens the wicked; (4) it is utterly unprofitable to the empty professors themselves. 2. 'I'hey were as um.table as clouds whirled every way by the wind. (1) They were unstable in doctrine, carried about by every intellectual caprice, like those who halt between two opinions, and are not settled in the truths of religion. They were not "grounded and settled" because they were off the true Foundation (ver. 20). (2) They:were unstable in their affections, now fervent, now cold, "framing to themselves such a moderation as will just serve the scantling of the times." (3) They were unstable in their practical conduct. At one time they were ascetic in their ideas; then self-indulgent, loose, evil. With all their changes they begin in the flesh and end in the flesh. (4) Christians ought to be warned against unsteadfastness. They ought to continue in the things which they have learned (2 Tim. iii. 14), and not to be" tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine" (Eph. iv. 14). UL THEIR UTTER m."'FRUITFULNESS. "Autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots." Saints are fruit-bearing trees of righteousness (Isa. l.xi. 3), There is an evident climax in this picture of the godless seducers. First, they are like autumn trees, which ought to be full of fruit, yet they are without fruit, like the barren fig tree; then they are utterly dead-dead in appearance and dead in reality ; then they are like uprooted trees concerning which there can be no more hope of frui~. There is a lo!!ical 0 as well as rhetorical fitness in the picture. 1. There was no fruit 'because tr~re was no life in the tree. These godless persons were spiritually dead (Eph. ii. 2). 2. This death implies ignorance, darkness, alienation from God. 3. The torn- up roots imply not only that there is no lwpe of growth, but that the world sees the secret roUenness that was at the root of such trees. They will never again be taken for fruit- bearers. "From them who had not, even that which they seemed to have is taken away" (Luke viii. 18). 4. The picture before us is a solemn warning_ to believers. (1) It is their duty to be spiritually fruitful (Phil. i.11; John xv. 2; Col. 1. 10). (2)_ They must brinu forth fruit at every season, even in old age (Ps. xcii. 12). (3) Believers, therefore, ;nght to plant themselves by the rivers of water (Ps. i. 3). (4) '!'hey ought to gU&rd against apostasy. "Be n?t high-minded, but ~ear." (?) They ought, therefore, t.o pray for the dews of God's blessing. He alone can give the increase. . IV. TREIB SHA.MELESS AND TURBULEN1.' TEMPER. "Wild waves of the sea, foammg out their own shame." 1. There was a restless agitation in their life. They we~e "like tile troubled sea, whose waters cast up mire and diit" (Isa. lvii. ~0), "There 1s no peace saith my God, to the wicked." '!'heir consciences were unquiet; they were fretful a~d arrogant; they troubled the peace of those Churches into w~ich they crept, by their hard speeches, their obscene talking, their blasphemous sugg"st10ns. 2. As the wild waves laBh tl,err•6elves into foam, these 6eduar6 throw forth upon the world all tlia 1-26.] THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF ,JUDE. 29