Ver. 1, 2. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

This title contains three principal parts:
I. The person who wrote the Epistle.
II. The persons to whom he wrote it.

III. The prayer: wherein the person writing salutes the persons to whom he wrote.

I. The person who wrote this Epistle is described these three ways.

1. From his name, Jude.

2. From his office, A servant of Jesus Christ. 3. From his alliance, The brother of James.

1. The description of the penman of this Epistle from his name, Jude. In the consideration whereof I shall proceed by way of exposition, and of observation.

(1.) The name of the author of the Epistle considered by way of exposition; wherein two things are to be opened: The signification of the name Judas, or Jude; and, The subject of that name, or who the person was to whom it is here applied.

[1] For the signification of the name Jude. It is found fully expressed Gen. xxix. 35. The occasion of first imposing it, was Leah's apprehension of God's goodness to her, in giving her a fourth son, whom

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therefore she called Judah, signifying praise, confession, or celebration. She made his name a monument of her thankfulness to God for him, as also of her son's duty to live to the praise of so good a God: a fruitful wife to Jacob in children, and a fruitful daughter to God in thankfulness. The learned Rivet well obimpositione, non serves, that in imposing this name she direxerit Spiritus was directed by the Spirit of God; this sanctus, cum lu Judah being that son of Jacob, of whom inter Jacobi filios, Christ, according to the flesh, was to come, for whom God is principally to erat. iv. in loc. be praised, he being the choicest gift

In qua nominis

dubito quin eam

dah fuerit is qui

pater futuri Messiæ constitutus

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into a mercy. Only those who have him, and bear him, can praise God; to others God comparatively gives nothing, and they return nothing. God shows superlatively how rich he is, in giving his Son; so God "loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son," John iii. 16.

to which it is here applied. It is applied in Scrip[2] The subject of this name is to be considered, ture to a threefold subject.

1. To a tribe. Frequent mention is made of the tribe of Judah, 1 Kings xii. 20; Psal. lxxvi. 1.

2. To a country or region, 2 Chron. xx. 3; Jer. xvii. 25.

3. And properly, to persons: and so in Scripture we read of six several persons that had this name. 1. Judah the patriarch, Gen. xxix. 35.

2. Judah in whose house Saul lodged at his first conversion, Acts ix. 11.

3. Judas surnamed Barsabas, Acts xv. 22. 4. Judas of Galilee, a seditious person, Acts v. 37. 5. Judas Iscariot the traitor, Matt. x. 4; John xiv. 22.

6. Judas the apostle, the author of this Epistle. Concerning whom the Scripture intimates, besides his apostolical office and relation to James,

1. His parentage: his father being Alphæus, spoken of Matt. x. 3; Mark iii. 18; and his mother held to be that Mary spoken of Matt. xxvii. 56; because Alphæus and Mary are said to be the parents of James, to which James, in Luke vi. 16; Acts i. 13, and here in this Epistle, this Judas is said to be brother.

nomen Judae ges

sectator. Aug.

Unus nomini suo

2. The Scripture expresses a mani- In sacra dodecada fest distinction between him and Judas fuerunt duo qui Iscariot, John xiv. 22, calling him Judas, sere; unus fuit not Iscariot; taking especial care that sectator, alter inhe might not be taken for him, their Tr. 76. in Joh. hearts and persons being as different convenienter se as their names were agreeable; for one gessit (Judas enim Confessorem sigwas sectator, the other insectator Domi- nificat,) alter per ni; the one following Christ as a dis-anciple, the other as a blood-hound; one geri ipsis opericonfessed him, the other betrayed him; Gerh. Har, in the one carried himself according to his loc. name. the other was a mere living contradiction to

se

bus demonstravit.

his name. When the evangelist saith, Judas, not Iscariot, he intended a difference betwixt him and this holy Jude.

3. The Scripture expresses a humble question propounded by him to Christ: "Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not unto the world?" John xiv. 22. Concerning which question, although I meet with different opinions, yet I see not why, with Musculus, we may not conceive that Jude propounded it from a humble and modest consideration of himself and the apostles, in partaking of the gracious manifestation of Christ to them, there being a passing by of others more famous and better accomplished than were the disciples. A question which, thus understood, shows, 1. The freeness of him that gives; so, 2. The humility of them that receive grace; who, instead of insulting over others that have less than themselves, admire the goodness of him that gives more to them than to others; nay, 3. The tender-heartedness and pity of the godly towards the souls of those wicked ones, who are commonly cruel and unkind to their bodies.

And Acts i. 13.

Jansen. Harm. p. 220.

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יהורה

4. The Scripture expresses concerning this apostle, that he was vovvuos, had sundry names; for he that in Luke vi. 16 is called "Judas Todas Takov, the brother of James," is in Matt. x. 3 Judas trinominis. called Lebbæus and Thaddeus; the reason whereof I meet with sundry opinions among writers. 1. Some conceive that he had this diversity of names from a usual custom among the Jews, that if any name had in it three or more of the letters of Jehovah, it should not be used in ordinary speech, but that some other name like it should be substituted for it. Now Judah containing in it all the four letters in the name Jehovah, (having besides the letter) this apostle had other names by which he was ordinarily called; but this reason seems, whatever is the superstition of the later Jews, not to have taken place in our Jude, or in any other of whom we read: the patriarch Judah, the son of Jacob, had no other name than Judah bestowed upon him by his mother or friends, nor did the custom appear upon Judas Iscariot. 2. Others conceive that these names were conferred upon him, to distinguish him from Judas (of the same name) the traitor, grown detestable for his execrable fact and heinous treason; for which cause our apostle may in the title Lorin. in loc. p. of this Epistle style himself also "the 320. ld verum brother of James;" the name of Judas nere tere Christi- being so odious in the church, that, as do et usurpando a learned man observes, though a good name in itself, Christians have in all nomen Christia- ages abstained from imposing it, and nis ob execrabilem that very rarely is it to be found menJuda factam, tioned in any history. And there seems to be an exact care in the evangelist, that when this holy apostle was named, John xiv. 22, he might not be taken for the traitor, speaking thus, "Judas, not Iscariot." Nor was it any change of his name that answered the purpose; for it was no less wisely than piously heeded, that those other names, Thaddæus and Lebbæus, should be suitable to the person upon From the Heb. whom they were bestowed; Thaddaeus signifying in the Syriac the same thing, praise or confession, with Judah in Hebrew; the imposers of this name intimating the constancy of this holy man in confessing Christ, what name soever he had. Nor can it be thought, but that the other name, Lebbæus, was applied fitly and suitably to him, as being derived either from the Hebrew word Labi, which signifies a lion, (the emblem of another

deprehendi, absti

anos ab imponen

nomine Juda. Execrabile hoc

proditionem a

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Videantur Junius
in loc.
Brugens. in 10
Matt.
Jansen. c. 39.
Lapide in loc.
Justini, in loc.
Lorin. in loc.

לביא

nerositate et præ

enim

dinis: unde Aris

tam Græciam stupefecerat audacia

mortem dissectus,

Judah, Gen. xlix. 9, of which tribe this Jude was,) to show his holy resolution and courage Leo dicitur a 17 Leb, cor, quasi for God, in opposing sin and the ene- cordatus seu animies of the truth, even as with a lion- mosus, quia a gelike heart; or from the Hebrew word sentia animi imLeb, which signifieth a heart: thereby teste denoting (say some) that he was a man symbolum fortituof much wisdom and understanding in tomenes, qui tohis place and conduct; for he who was of greatest discretion and prudence, miraculo, post was formerly accustomed to be called inventus est ha-' Corculum, from cor, a heart; and a wise, bere cor totum understanding man is usually termed Plin. lib. 11. c. 37. homo cordatus, a man with a heart: or bant antiqui sodenoting (say others) that he was cor- lertem et acutum. dis cultor, a man that laboured much test. Qui valde about his heart, studying diligently its vocabatur Corcu purity and sanctifying. This for the cap. 31. Unde expository part of the first thing con- prudentiam bis siderable in the description of the pen- consul, appellaman of this Epistle, viz. his name. Cic. Tusc. 1.

pilis hirsutum.

Corculum dice

cautus et prudens,

lum. Plin. 1. 7.

Scipio Nasica, ob

tus est Corculum.

(2.) From the sameness or commonness of the name Judas to a holy apostle, and a perfidious traitor, together with that seditious Galilean, I observe,

Zedekiah. Jehoahaz.

1. That names commend us not to God, nor conduce any thing to our true happiness. Many who have holy and blessed names come much short of them, as Adonijah, Judas, &c. Absalom signifies, the father's peace; but he that was so called, proved his father's trouble. On the other side, many have unpromising and infamous names, who are excellent persons, and have lost nothing thereby. It is not a holy name, but a holy nature, that makes a holy man. No outward titles or privileges profit the enjoyer; "neither circumcision, nor Ἱερώνυμοι aliuncircumcision, but a new creature." A quando mali, peasant may have the name of a prince; quando boni. a traitor, the name of a holy apostle. Si communio noIt is all one with God to call thee holy, onibus præjudiand to make thee so. Oh, beg of him quam servi, Reinward renovation, more than outward gum nominibus estimation; otherwise, a great name for cont. Mart. c. 7. holiness will prove but a great plague hereafter. Hell is a wicked Judas's own place. A good name with an unchanged nature, is but white feathers upon a black skin. A great privilege unsanctified is a great punishment.

Obs. 2. That wicked men make the best names and things odious by their unholy carriage. Judas the traitor makes the name Judas by many to be despised. Eli's sons made the people to abhor the Lord's offering, 1 Sam. ii. 17. God tells the people, that they had profaned his holy name, while the heathen said, "These are the people of the Lord," Ezek. xxxvi. Scandalous Christians have brought an odium upon Christianity. It is the duty therefore of those who are conversant about holy things to be holy; to tremble lest any should think the worse of ordinances, of the ministry, or of sanctity, for them. The blood of seeming saints will not wash away the scandal they have brought upon true sanctity, nor make amends for the evil report which they have brought upon the Canaan of godliness; and yet we should take heed of thinking the worse of holiness, or of any way of God, for the wickedness of any person whatever. Eli's sons sinned in making the people abhor the Lord's offering; and yet the text saith the people sinned too in abhorring it, 1 Sam. ii. 24.

Obs. 3. That our baptismal names ought to be such as may prove remembrancers of duty. Leah and Alpheus, in imposing names on their children, made use of such as might induce parents and children another day to seek holiness. God called Abram Abraham, to strengthen his faith: Hannah gave the name

of Samuel to her son, because he was a son of prayer. It is good to impose such names as express our baptismal promise. A good name is a thread tied about the finger, to make us mindful of the errand we came into the world to do for our Master.

Obs. 4. That ministers, especially, ought so to behave themselves, as that they may not be ashamed of their names. That their name prefixed may be a crown, a credit to their writings; that whensoever their names are spoken of, the hearer may bless them: that their names may be as a sweet perfume to their actions. Many Christians' names are so odious, that what they say or do is blemished, because it comes from them: it had been good if it had been another's. He is a dead man among the living that has a hateful name. It is a great mercy when our names outlive us; it is a great punishment when we outlive our names. They that honour God shall have the spirit of glory rest upon them. He that is a Jude, a confessor of Christ, shall never want that honour.

I

Obs. 5. That we should not do that to which we are ashamed or afraid to own or put our names. deny not but in some cases it may be lawful to change our names, or forbear to mention them, either by tongue or pen; but then we should not be driven to such straits by the badness of our actions, as the most are, so as to be ashamed to own them; but by the consideration of God's glory, or the church's good, or our own necessary preservation in time of persecution, which may be the more advanced by concealing our names. Thus Bucer, in times of trouble for the gospel, called Aretius, Felinus. Calvin's Institutions were printed under the name of Alcuinus. But these did not conceal themselves for sin, but for safety; nor yet so much for safety as for God's glory.

I pass from the name, and proceed to describe, 2. The author of this Epistle, in his office, A servant of Jesus Christ.

Of this, by way of explication, and of observation. For explication. Here two points are to be opened. In what respect Jude was the servant of Christ? and why he here so styles himself?

[1] In what respect Jude was the servant of Christ? He was so in three respects.

1. In respect of creation and sustention, as are all creatures. All are thy servants, from the highest angel to the lowest worm, Psal. cxix. 91. "All things were created by him, and for him, and by him all things consist," Col. i. 16, 17. The world is but his family, altogether at his finding: should he shut his hand, the house would be famished: if he withdraw his maintenance, the world would fall.

2. In respect of redemption from the power of sin and Satan, Heb. ii. 15; from their condemning and destroying power, Rom. viii. 1; from their corrupting and defiling power. And that this was a redemption calculated to make us servants to the Redeemer, Rom. vi. 18; Eph. vi. 6, appears, in that it was not only by conquest, and vindication from our enemies, Luke i. 74; as the conqueror might have destroyed us as well as taken us, or destroyed them, in which respect, according to all usage and equity, we ought to be for ever his servants; but a redemption also by purchase, the Lord Jesus having paid no less price than his own precious blood, 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. From which consideration the apostle strongly argues, that we are not our own, but serve for the glorifying of another, 1 Cor. vi. 20.

3. This apostle was the servant of Christ, more peculiarly, by way of special office and function. Christ himself, Moses, David, Cyrus, Zerubbabel, &c., were called God's servants; so are the prophets in the Old, the apostles and ministers in the New Testament called servants. Although it is granted that the

apostles were servants in a different way from other ministers, both with respect to the manner of their calling, which was by immediate mission and appointment from God, and also to the extent of their power, which was not confined to one place, but granted to them for planting and governing churches in any part of the world. In which respect, some think, they are called the salt of the earth.

On account of this function, and office of apostleship, Jude principally calls himself a servant of Christ; though not barely and solely on account of God's calling him to it, but in respect also of his own diligence and faithfulness in endeavouring to discharge his office to which he was called: as Peter exhorts, 1 Pet. iv. 10; and, as Paul speaks, Christ keeps no servants only to wear a livery, 1 Cor. ix. 16. As he is not a titular Lord, so neither are his servants titular servants. All their expressions of service reach not the emphasis either of their desires or duty.

[2.] The thing to be opened secondly, is the cause why the apostle here styleth himself the servant of Christ.

Some think, to show his humility and modesty. He who might have used the title either of apostle, or brother of the Lord, rather contents himself with this note of duty and service common to every Christian.

Others, better, for the confirming and comforting himself in his work; because his Lord whom he served, and had set him on work, would stand by him, both in protecting his person and prospering his work.

Others, and those upon clearest grounds, conceive that the apostle here embraces this title of servant on account of others, that his doctrine might with more respect and readiness be received by those to whom he wrote; seeing that he was called to his work, and that by such a Master, whose service added not more dignity to him, than it required duty from them.

This for explication: the observations follow.

Obs. 1. They who undertake any public employment for Christ, must receive a call from him to be his servants, if with comfort to themselves, or benefit to others, they will go about his work. It is a great shame, if all who are prophets are not the Lord's people; but it is a gross error to think that all the Lord's people are ministerially prophets. Their being the Lord's people makes them fit to hear, but not fit to preach; fit sheep, not fit shepherds. Suppose that, which constant experience contradicts, they have the fitness of gifts, have they therefore a sufficient call to preach by way of office, and ministry? Is it enough, to be a king's servant, or a nobleman's steward, for a person to have abilities to discharge those places? is there not required commission or call also? and are not ministers called servants and stewards? At this time I doubt it would hardly be accounted true doctrine, that every one who has military gifts, courage and policy, may be a commander of a regiment, or captain of a troop, and that he might gather his followers without commission. Is it enough for a man to be a prince's ambassador, because he has sufficient gifts, for wit, and good expression, &c.? must not the king also give him the authority to be an ambassador? Is every one who can run a messenger? must he not be sent likewise ? Besides, whosoever has a commission to preach has a commission to baptize, as is plain from Matt. xxviii. 19. Preaching and baptizing reaching alike the ministry of all ages. But has every gifted man such a commission? Further, does not our Saviour, Matt. x. 41, clearly distinguish between a righteous man and a prophet? if they had been all one, why would he have done so ? and if gifts make a minister, is it

not as true that gifts make a magistrate? and then every one who had understanding and other good governing parts were a lord mayor. Nay, then why might not women preach, (as lately they have done,) many of whom have better gifts than some men? And how could that agree with the apostolical prohibition for women to speak in the church?

Besides, all who are called to preach are bound to increase their gifts, by giving attendance to reading, to doctrine, and by giving themselves wholly to these things, which cannot be done, unless earthly occupations are laid aside: but gifted men are not bound to this; so they have not this call which they pretend. To conclude, every one that hath this ministerial call, has that pastoral care lying upon him, mentioned Heb. xiii. 17, To watch over souls as those that must give an account with joy, and not with grief: but this can in no wise be said of every one who is a gifted man; and therefore gifted persons, as such, must forsake their pretended claim to a ministerial call. Nor can it be evinced, because the apostle says, All may prophesy, 1 Cor. xiv. 31, therefore every gifted person may preach. For, besides that the gift of prophecy was extraordinarily bestowed in that age of the church, not procured by study and industry, but immediately conferred by the Spirit upon some, as were also miracles, the gift of healing, and diversities of tongues, all which are now ceased, it is most plain, that the word all in that place is not to be taken in its full latitude, as if all the men, or every believer in the church of Corinth, might stand up and prophesy, for that is expressly contrary to 1 Cor. xii. 29, where by an interrogation the apostle vehemently denies that all are prophets; but it is to be taken restrictively, to those that were in office, and set by God in the church for that purpose, as the apostle speaks, "God hath set some in his church, first apostles, secondarily prophets," &c. 1 Cor. xii. 28. Other cavils are weaker than deserve to be mentioned; as, to argue from that place, that because women are forbid to speak in the church, therefore any man may speak, I Cor. xiv. 34. What greater strength is in this argument than to reason thus: Because no woman may be a justice of peace, therefore every man may? Because no woman may speak publicly, therefore some men must, (namely, such as are in office,) had been a much better consequence. Nor is there more strength in that allegation of Moses's wish, that all the Lord's people were prophets, to prove that all might prophesy; for in his desiring that all might be prophets, he includes a required condition, that they might be called by God to that employment.

Obs. 2. Alliance in faith, spiritual relation to Christ, is much dearer and nearer than alliance in flesh. Jude might have called himself a near kinsman to Christ, or Christ's brother, as indeed he was, and was so accounted, Matt. xiii. 55, as much as James, who is called the Lord's brother, Gal. i. 19; but that which includes a spiritual relation is to him much sweeter: to be a servant of Christ is more desirable than to be a brother of Christ. What had it profited to have been his kinsman, unless his servant? Many who were his kinsmen according to the flesh, wanted the honour of this spiritual affinity; but such of them who had this honour bestowed upon them, had all their other glory swallowed up in this, as Christ expressed himself, He is my brother, and sister, and mother. Blessed be God, that this great privilege is not denied to us even now; though we cannot see him, yet love him we may; though we have not his bodily presence, yet we are not denied the spiritual; though he be not ours in house, in arms, in affinity, yet in heart, in faith, in love, in service he is.

Obs. 3. There is a peculiar excellency and worth in the title of servant, with which our apostle, and others before him, were so frequently delighted. It might furnish them and us with a fivefold consideration full of sweet delight. (1.) That he much honours us. To serve Christ is to reign. It is more honour to serve Christ than to serve emperors; nay, than to have emperors serve us; for, indeed, all things do so. (2.) That he will assist us in our works if he gives employment, he will give endowments too; if an errand, a tongue; if work, a hand; if a burden, a back: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me," saith Paul. And herein he goes beyond all other masters, who can toil and task their servants sufficiently, but cannot strengthen them. (3.) That he will preserve us. He will keep us in all our ways; and surely then he will so in all his own work. Safety evermore accompanies duty. His mercy is over all his works, but peculiarly over all his workers. Men are never in danger but when they leave working. Jonah was well enough till he attempted to run away from his Master. When our enemies do us the greatest hurt, they remove us above hurt. A servant of Christ may be sick, persecuted, scorned, imprisoned, but never unsafe; he may lose his head, but not one hair of his head perish. (4.) That he will provide for us. He can live without servants, but these cannot live without a Master. Verily his family-servants shall be fed. The servants of Christ shall want no good thing: if they are without some things, there is nothing they can want; they shall have better, and enough of better. Can he that has a mine of gold want pebbles? Can it be that a servant of Christ should want provision, when God can make his very work meat and drink to him? nay, when God can make his wants meat and drink? How can he want, or be truly without any thing, whose friend has and is all? No good thing shall they want, nothing that may fit them for and further them in duty. It is true they may be without clogs, snares, hinderances; but those things are not good which hinder the chief good. If God gave them, he would feed his servants with husks, nay, with poison. (5.) That he will reward them. The Lord gives grace and glory: great is their reward in heaven; nay, great is their reward on earth. There is a reward in the very work; but God will bestow a further recompence hereafter. We should not serve him for, but he will not be served without wages, even such as will weigh down all our work, all our woes.

Oh the folly of them that either prefer that cruel and dishonourable service of sin, before the sweet and glorious service of Christ; or that, being servants to Christ, improve it not for their comfort in all their distresses!

Obs. 4. We owe to God the duty and demeanour of servants.

(1.) To serve him solely, not serving sin or Satan at all, nor man in opposition to Christ; not serving ourselves or the times, Matt. vi. 24. Who keep servants to serve others, enemies? Christ and sin are contrary masters; contrary in work, and therefore it is an impossibility to serve both; contrary in wages, and therefore it is an infinite folly to serve sin.

(2.) Christ must be served obediently, submissively, [1.] In bearing when he corrects. A beaten servant must not strike again, nor word it with his master: we must accept of the punishment of our iniquities. It is chaff that flies in the face of him that fanneth. [2.] We must be submissive servants, in being content with our allowance, in forbearing to enjoy what we would, as well as bearing what we would not: the