— Epist. Jude, vers. 17-21.
But ye, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:
How that they told you, that there should be mockers in the last time, which should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
These are makers of Sects, fleshly, having not the Spirit.
But ye, beloved, edify yourselves in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
And keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life.
THE occasion1 whereupon, together with the end wherefore, this Epistle was written, is opened in the front and entry of the same. There were then, as there are now, many evil and wickedly disposed persons, not of the mystical body, yet within the visible bounds of the Church, “men which were of old ordained to condemnation, ungodly men, which turned the grace of our God into wantonness, and denied the Lord Jesus.” For this cause the Spirit of the Lord is in the hand of “Jude the servant of Jesus and brother of James,” to exhort them that are called, and sanctified of God the Father, that they would earnestly “contend to maintain the faith, which was once delivered unto the saints.” Which faith because we cannot maintain, except we know perfectly, first, against whom; secondly, in what sort it must be maintained: therefore in the former three verses of that parcel of Scripture which I have read, the enemies2 of the cross of Christ are plainly described; and in the later two, they that love the Lord Jesus have a sweet lesson given them how to strengthen and stablish themselves in the faith. Let us first therefore examine the description of these reprobates concerning faith; and afterwards come to the words of the exhortation, wherein Christians are taught how to rest their hearts on God’s eternal and everlasting truth. The description of these godless persons is twofold, general and special. The general doth point them out, and shew what manner of men they should be. The particular pointeth at them, and saith plainly, these are they. In the general description we have to consider of these things; First, when they were described; “They were told of before:” Secondly, the men by whom they were described; “They were spoken of by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:” Thirdly, the days when they should be manifested unto the world; they told you they “should be in the last time:” Fourthly, their disposition and whole demeanour; Mockers and walkers after their own ungodly lusts.”
2. In the third to the Philippians3, the Apostle describeth certain; “They are men,” saith he, “of whom I have told you often, and now with tears I tell you of them, their god is their belly, their glorying and rejoicing is in their own shame, they mind earthly things.” These were enemies2 of the cross of Christ, enemies2 whom he saw, and his eyes gushed out with tears to behold them. But we are taught in this place how the Apostles spake also of enemies2, whom as yet they had not seen, described a family of men as yet unheard of, a generation reserved for the end of the world, and for the last time; they had not only declared what they heard and saw in the days wherein they lived, but they have prophesied also of men in time to come. And “you do well,” saith St. Peter4, “in that ye take heed to the words of prophecy, so that ye first know this, that no prophecy in the Scripture cometh of any man’s own resolution.” No prophecy in Scripture cometh of any man’s own resolution. For all prophecy, which is in Scripture, came by the secret inspiration of God. But there are prophecies which are no Scripture; yea, there are prophecies against the Scripture: my brethren, beware of such prophecies, and take heed you heed them not. Remember the things that were spoken of before; but spoken of before by the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Take heed to prophecies, but to prophecies which are in Scripture; for both the manner and the matter of those prophecies do shew plainly that they are of God.