amandus est; si non propter se, saltem vocationis

et functionis suæ

causa.

ways. (1.) By its notoriously thwarting and opposing the evident commands of Scripture. "Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people," Exod. xxii. 28; Eccl. x. 20; a text cited by Paul himself, Acts xxiii. 5, who there, as I humbly conceive, apologizes for himself for his sudden and unadvised expression, in calling the high priest a whited wall; the words our dev not signifying, I knew not, absolutely; but, I wist not, I considered not, I heeded not, I took not sufficient notice how he was the high priest: q. d. In my haste I termed him whited wall, which term, I confess, might well have been spared, not because it was false, but not fit, nor consonant to that which is written. "Honour the king," 1 Pet. ii. 17. "Render to all their dues," &c., "honour to whom honour," Rom. xiii. 7. The will of God, against all pretexts imaginable, should be the end of all strife. (2.) Because the speaking evil of dignities is the speaking evil of God himself, who ordained them. If he who mocketh the poor, then much more he who revileth the ruler, Imaginem Dei rex gestat, id- reproacheth his Maker, Prov. xvii. 5. circo colendus et In the contempt of magistrates God accounts himself contemned: "They have not," saith God to Samuel, "rejected thee, but they have rejected me," I Sam. viii. 7. And this was the true cause why God was so angry with Miriam and Aaron, who spake against Moses: "Wherefore were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" Numb. xii. 1, 8. To speak against him whom God appointed and set on work, is to speak against a great one indeed. (3.) By the punishments inflicted upon such revilers, which are evident in the example of Miriam, Absalom, Korah, &c. All princes are not like Delicia humani Titus, the delight of mankind, who Nemo me insequi said, None can reproach me, because I do nothing that can be reprehended; and those things which are spoken of me falsely, I altogether neglect: for Tiberius, when Paconius had scattered reproachful verses against him, wrote to the senate to appoint severe punishment against him; and although many princes have remitted the injury as offered to their own persons, yet as prejudicial to the good of the commonwealth, they have, and that deservedly, punished them. And however princes themselves have spared such railers, yet God would not suffer them to go unpunished, as in the case of Shimei, whom, though David spared, yet God spared not. (4.) This speaking evil of magistrates is a spreading evil, hurtful to others: the reviler kills many with one shoot; himself, speaking wickedly; the ruler, whom he accuses unjustly; his hearer, who listens to him credulously. A reproaching tongue, being, though worst to himself, yet hurtful to those who hear him: and who knoweth how great a fire the tongue of one reviler may kindle? Seldom such a pedlar opens his pack of wares but some or other will buy. No music is so sweet to most, as to hear well of themselves and ill of their rulers. People's hearts and ears are commonly tinder and touchwood, presently taking fire when any spark of defamation flies from the fire of a reviler's tongue; and how great a flame such a spark may kindle, we may see in the cases of Absalom and Sheba.

generis.

contumelia potest, propterea quod nihil ago quod reprehendi mereatur ea vero quæ false

de me dicuntur, prorsus negligo.

Dio.

Lev. xix. 16, a

talebearer

signifieth a traf ficker up and down.

Ŏbs. 1. Great is the audacious extravagancy of an unmortified tongue. James, chap. iii. 6, calls it a

Jam. iii, 5.

"fire;" and here we see it aspires like Μεγαλαυχεῖ. fire, and moves upward, and fastens upon such things as were much above it. Peter saith these seducers are not afraid to *See p. 175, concerning the sin of despising dominion.

66

|

mo, sed graviter

transit, sed gravi

leviter revocatur;

adeo facile violat

trip. cust.

speak evil of dignities," 2 Pet. ii. 10: the tongue set on fire by hell below, fires even upon those which are called gods, and are in the highest and most eminent degree. "The tongue speaketh proud things," Psal. xii. 3. "In the mouth of the foolish is the rod of pride,” Prov. xiv. 3. In which place the fool's tongue may either be termed a rod of pride, which for proud speaking shall whip the fool himself; or else a rod which by the fool's proud speaking whips and lashes any other. The Septuagint read it, The fool's tongue is Bakтnpia vßpews, a rod of reproach; and some conceive in using the word Gr. paßdiov, (according to some,) Solomon alludes to the custom of magicians, who by their rods were wont to do their magical exploits and false miracles of transforming, metamorphosing, and changing the shapes of things, Exod. vii. 12; as if these proud railers by the rods of their tongues, their revilings and slanderous Leviter volat serreproaches, laboured to metamorphose vulnerat; leviter and transform men, making the honour- ter urit; leviter able to appear base, the learned most profertur, sed non illiterate, and the upright most dis- facile volat, atque honest. The pride of the heart is charitatem. most frequently discovered by the Bern. Serm. de tongue. Rabshakeh threatened he would make them "eat their own dung." The tongue threatens God himself: "I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God," Isa. xiv. 13. "Talk no more exceeding proudly," saith Hannah, I Sam. ii. 3. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth," Psal. lxxiii. 9. "Our tongues are our own; who is lord over us ?" Psal. xii. 4. The tongue, though small, opposes the greatest. It was a gracious care of David to take heed to his tongue, Psal. xxxix. 1. Man's glory, his tongue, must not be employed against God's glory, or the magistrate's, here called glories. The tongue, of which we had not the use till we had the use of reason, was never appointed to be used without reason, for pride and passion. He who made the tongue soft and pliable, all flesh, without a bone in it, teaches us that it should not be harsh, rugged, and proud in its expressions: the double rail or hedge of the teeth and lips shows that this wild beast is very unruly, James iii. 8, and that it ought to be kept in. The best way to keep the fire from breaking out at the chimney, is to quench the coals upon the hearth: a cool and humble heart will abate the heat of the fiery tongue.

66

κακὸν ἀκατάστ

χετον.

Obs. 2. Dignities lie open to the lash of the tongue. The more eminent the person, the more censured is his action: the highest towers are most frequently blasted with lightning; nor power, nor innocency can protect from imputations. The fire of the tongue dares touch even laurel, which lightning (they say) never blasts: the sword of the mouth will adventure even upon the mouth of the sword. When Saul was chosen, and carried and lifted up with highest acclamations, the sons of Belial despised him, 1 Sam. x. 27. It is a vain ambition to expect the good word of all. It is an equal weakness to be proud of the applause, and impatient under the reproaches of the multitude: the care of all, especially of governors, should be rather to be worthy of honour than to receive honour, rather to be honourable than honoured; and not so much to seek quiet abroad, as in themselves and the conscience of their upright and sincere endeavours. It is better to deserve well, and to hear ill; than to deserve ill, and to hear well.

Obs. 3. Magistrates should take heed of blemishing their dignity, and losing their glory. The apostle here calls them dignities or glories. And to

deberet, nihil faciebat ut imperaret.

Eo dignior erat quo magis se clamabat indignum. Hier. in

maintain their glory, it is not enough to be magnificent and outwardly pompous in their attendance, apparel, diet, buildings, &c., but let them show themselves dignities in their entrance into their places, and in their deportment when they are entered. (1.) For their entrance, let it not be sordid and unworthy, in the way of suing by friends, money, &c. Such should be preferred, not as would have places, but such as places would have. Olives, vines, figtrees refuse their honours; brambles catch hold on preferment. Saul's modesty in hiding himself when chosen king, detracted not from his dignity when he Cum omnia fa- accepted it. It was a high commendaceret ut imperare tion of Theodosius the emperor, that when he had done all that could make him worthy to rule, he would do nothing that he might rule. The worthiest to govern, are they often who think themselves unworthiest. Let Christ herein be the pattern, who humbled himself; but he left his exaltation to his Father. How is digEpitaph. Nepot. nity debased, when they are advanced, not who deserve best, but bid fairest! when money makes the magistrate, and shall provide preferment for him who is not at all fit for that! What wonder is it to see that they who buy their places dear, should afterward sell justice dear also? (2.) In their deportment when they are entered. Let magistrates keep up their glory, [1.] By wisdom and understanding; if no Christian, much less must a magistrate, be a child in understanding: a fool cannot be harmless. A king in our English expression imports as much as cunning, or knowing, from the old Saxon word koëning. Wisdom makes a man's, especially a magistrate's, face to shine: wisdom and magistracy cast a reciprocal lustre upon one another. Solomon's wisdom made him more glorious and sought to than his wealth. It was a notable speech of our Henry the First, A king without learning is but a crowned ass that creature is but contemptible under the richest ornaments. If a ruler's calling hinders him from the study of many commendable parts of learning, yet let it put him upon such studies as are necessarily requisite to the understanding of government: "The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way," Prov. xiv. 8. To preserve dignity, a magistrate in his place must carry himself, [2.] Courageously. Solomon's throne was beset with lions, not with apes. They who oppose vice, had need of heroic spirits cowards are fitter to be slaves than rulers. A magistrate in his own cause should be as flexible as a reed; in the cause of God, as stiff as an oak. A timorous ruler is a hare in a lion's skin: all dare meddle with him, who dares meddle with none. And it is just with God, that he should suffer by the subjects, who dares not make their sins suffer by him. [3.] Let dignity be upheld by the hatred of covetousness, base and filthy lucre. How unseemly is it for a golden spade to dig in a dunghill! for the robe of an emperor to stop an oven! Let not those who are called gods grovel in the earth: what is not cheap to him, to whom money is dear? How unfit is it for a magistrate to soar high in respect of his place, and at the same time, like the kite, to have his eye fixed upon the dunghill, or carrion! It is the judgment of God against covetousness, that they who follow gain as their god, shall yet account another a base miser for doing so. It was a noble speech of Themistocles, who seeing a precious stone upon the ground, bid another take it up; For thou, said he, art not Themistocles. [4] To preserve dignity, let magistrates carry themselves usefully, industriously, for the public good. There is a near conjunction between dignity and duty. The shadow of honour attends upon the

body of service. It was a true speech of the wise old counsellors to Rehoboam, "If thou wilt be a servant to this people," &c. " they will be thy servants," 1 Kings xii. 7. The tree which is most deeply rooted flourishes and spreads most; and the person who is most deeply and lowly engaged in service, shall best flourish and spread in renown. Empty are those titles which are only obtained by birth, retinue, and favour, &c. The titles of most illustrious, excellency, right honourable, &c. bestowed upon an unprofitable governor, are but nicknames and upbraidings for his not being what he should, and is said to be; and as unduly given him, as the names of wholesome drugs are put upon empty boxes in the apothecary's shop. [5] Let dignity be upheld with piety. Holiness is the lustre of all other accomplishments, and the most lasting foundation of honour: "They that honour me will I honour." If religion at the bar make the profane magistrate to tremble, much more may religion on the bench dismay a profane offender. When the lusts of wicked subjects make them willingly reproach religious rulers, their consciences shall make them unwillingly honour them. Never did those magistrates long preserve their own names, who suffered God's to be profaned. The greatest potentate on earth cannot be loose and ungodly by authority; their place will not bear them out in it. Religion is no disparagement to magistracy. How needless, how unsuitable is it for great ones to fear nothing more than to have a name to fear God!

Obs. 4. How highly is God provoked, when he makes these dignities and glories unglorious! It is no small offence that puts the Lord upon pouring contempt upon princes; that makes him stain the pride of their glory, and cover it with shameful spewing. When Manasseh shall be fettered, Jehoiakim be a broken idol, "buried with the burial of an ass," and the signet upon the right hand plucked thence, and thrown on the dunghill, Jer. xxii. 19, 24, Nebuchadnezzar turned into a beast, &c.; when the Lord deals thus with rulers, they should look beyond a rebellious, headstrong people: they have negotium cum Deo their work is to look inward and upward, to study what their sin has been which has incensed God to debase that which he commands all others to honour. If the Lord suffer people to cast off the yoke of their obedience to princes, surely princes first cast off the yoke of obedience to God. "They who despise God shall be lightly esteemed," 1 Sam. ii. 30. Îf it be the Lord who subdues the people under princes, Psal. xviii. 47, it is he that subdues princes under their people. It is God who "stilleth the noise of the seas, and the tumult of the people," Psal. lxv. 7. If he remove the banks and bounds of his protection, the proud waves both of seas and popular tumults will overflow the highest mountains. If at any time princes are overborne by such an overflowing scourge, let them examine themselves whether they have not transgressed the bounds of God's commandments; whether if God deal with them as with Saul, Manasseh, Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah, Jehu, Jeroboam, they have not, with them, been disobedient, idolatrous, proud, and oppressive. The alterations of governors and governments peculiarly belong to God's prerogative royal. He "ruleth in the kingdom of men, giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men." And the putting of proud princes and people upon a holy and humble consideration hereof, which can never be, unless not only his bare permission, but even his positive working, and such as flows from his effectual ordination, be acknowledged, is clearly intimated in Scripture to be one main end of the severe dispensa

tions of providence, in pulling down governments and debasing dignities, Dan. iv. 17.

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Obs. 5. It is lawful for magistrates to preserve their authority by a certain external, though decent and moderate, pomp and majesty. They may lawfully use and receive titles of honour, and have attendance, apparel, buildings, diet, suitable to their dignities; the Spirit of God here calls them dignities, or glories. Paul gave to Festus the title of "most noble," Acts xxvi. 25. God himself has cast upon rulers a beam of his glory; honour and majesty hath God laid upon them, Psal. xxi. 5. “The most high God," saith Daniel, gave Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour," Dan. v. 18, 19. Faithful and godly Joseph, when advanced, was adorned with Pharaoh's ring and a gold chain, arrayed in vestures of fine linen, riding in the second chariot which Pharaoh had, they crying before him, "Bow the knee," Gen. xli. 41, 43. Jude here puts dominion and dignities together. Magistracy decked with dignity, is oft hated and envied; and stripped of dignity, is always scorned and contemned. The fomenters of anarchical confusions well know this, who endeavour to overthrow dignities that they may thereby destroy dominions. Nor yet ought magistrates to please themselves with titles and dignities, empty of that goodness and worth which should accompany and adorn greatness; they should not so affect the title, as to neglect the thing and work of which their titles admonish them. Glorious titles and dignities, contradicted by a wicked and undue deportment, proclaim equally both the sin and shame of those upon whom they are cast. To conclude, though rulers should be honoured, yet not adored; they should so endure to be acknowledged the people's superiors, as to fear to be accounted God's equals. Soon was Herod the food of worms when he patiently endured to have his voice cried up for the voice of God. Historians mention the sacrilegious impiety of Domitian, who would Suet. in vita be called by the people, The lord our god. To these may be added the proud usurpations of the pope, who exalts himself above all that is called God, who pretends to pardon sin, and to be the head of the church; and of those princes that have taken the title of most mighty, most invincible, &c.

Prohibiti sunt maledici, non Jussi sunt sacrificiis honorari. Aug. q. 86. in Exod.

Dom. cap. 13.

Obs. 6. It is our duty to be cautioned against flattering governors. They are dignities and glories, but should not dazzle our eyes into a sinful winking at their sins. Though they are not to be reviled, yet neither soothed when they offend God. What ill

Honor quo præ

mentum.

have governors deserved at our hands, diti sunt non est that we should, instead of friends, be vitiorum integu- their flatterers? and that they only of all the men in the world should be without friends, that is, reprovers? We must honour them instead of, not against God: "Say unto the king and queen, Humble yourselves," Jer. xiii. 18. More than once we read that Samuel reproved Saul, 1 Sam. xv. 28; nor did Nathan spare David, 2 Sam. xii. 1-14; or Elijah Ahab, 1 Kings xviii. 18; or Isaiah Hezekiah, Isa. xxxix. 6; or the Baptist Herod, Matt. xiv. 4. The danger of flattering rulers reaches beyond themselves. The soothing of such in sin is the casting of a bag of poison into a common fountain serving for the use of the whole city. Nor yet ought the reprehending of public persons to be practised without much prudence, lest by it the disease be rather irritated than cured. Singular was the wisdom of Nathan to draw the sentence of David against himself out of his own mouth, 2 Sam. xii. 5—7; 1 Kings xx. 39. Nor do all sorts of faults require

the same severity in reproving: some sins are warts, others are ulcers; some are secret, and then the plaster should not be broader than the sore, the reprehension more open than the offence. Care is to be had lest reprehension degenerate into sedition; preachers for conversion should have another aim. In short, in every reproof, difference is to be put between the person and office of the magistrate; the dignity of the office should not suffer for the vices of the person, nor should the vices of the person be spared for the dignity of the office.

This for the specification of the faults of these seducers, which was the first branch in the first part of the text. The second branch of this first part of the text follows, viz. the aggravation of these faults, in that the apostle saith, that these seducers sinned "likewise also." In which two words the apostle expresseth a twofold aggravation of their sins.

The first stands in the harmony or consent between the sins of these seducers and the wickedness of those who went before them; they sinned "likewise."

2. The second stands in the obstinacy of these sinners in their impieties, they sinning Similiter tamen. "also," or, as Beza reads it, notwithstanding they knew the forementioned severe judgments which had befallen the former sinners for their impieties.

I shall but briefly touch upon both these by way of explication, the difficulty not being great, although the matter contained in them profitable.

1. The harmony or consent of these seducers with former sinners in their wickedness is expressed in this word oμoiwg, likewise; a word importing as much as those words in the seventh verse, where the apostle saith that the cities about Sodom and Gomorrha did ὅμοιον τούτοις τρόπον, in like manner give themselves, &c. If it be demanded wherein that agreement or consent which was between these seducers and former sinners consists; it is answered by some, that the apostle did not intend that these seducers walked precisely in the same particular sins in which the forementioned sinners, the Israelites, angels, Sodomites, had lived; or that they traced them carà Tóda, step by step, in every several sort of wickedness, but only that they were in general very grievous and heinous sinners, as those of old were, giving themselves with them over to all manner of impiety.

But comparing the practice of these seducers with the sins wherewith the Israelites, angels, Sodomites were charged, as also considering the word "likewise most properly imports such a connexion of this verse with the former, as is intended that these seducers imitated those former sinners in those very sins which were before by the apostle mentioned, ver. 5-7; I conceive it may be best answered, that the agreement here mentioned by Jude between the former and latter sinners, was an agreement in the same sins for sort and kind; and that he intends, as the Israelites and angels proudly refused to yield due obedience and subjection to God; the former rebelling against God who governed them immediately, the latter despising that government which he exercised over them by his servant Moses; and as Videtur Judas inthe Sodomites sinned by sensual filthi- dicare Gnosticos ness and carnal uncleanness, in like Sodomitis fuisse similes, quasi manner did these seducers "defile the eorum improbita flesh, and despise dominions," &c. And Vid. Justinian yet I doubt not but the apostle in this in loc. word "likewise" insinuates a further agreement between these former and latter sinners; and that was in the same punishment which was likewise to fall upon those who lived in the same sins for which they of old were punished.

tem imitarentur.

The second aggravation of the wickedness of these

thoughts in the day-time, which may otherwise make them filthy dreamers in the night; and when they go to sleep, to beseech God to keep the key of their imagination, that it may not run out into dreaming impurely.

But secondly, others, and those the most, better interpret this dreaming of which Jude speaks metaphorically, or in a borrowed sense; conceiving that the apostle here in calling these seducers dreamers in sleep, compares them to such; and that,

In respect of sleeping, and of dreaming in sleep. 1. In respect of sleeping, these seПEяÓTIKEV Vaя. ducers may be compared to dreamers Septuag. in sleep; they were spiritually drowned, overwhelmed in a deep, sound sleep of sin; such a deep sleep as the prophet mentions, "The Lord hath poured upon you the spirit of a deep sleep," Isa. xxix. 10, a dead and midnight sleep. "Let us not sleep as do others," 1 Thess. v. 6. "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept," &c., Matt. xxv. 5. This spiritual sleep in sin is threefold, as divines observe. (1.) That natural sleep whereby every one is overtaken, and is both unable and unwilling to move himself to the least supernatural good till God awake him by his Spirit, and effectually say unto him, Awake, thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead. (2.) That slumber, or the remains of that natural sleep in the godly, continuing in them even after they are awakened out of their dead sleep of nature; they being hereby oft overtaken with spiritual slumber, by reason of the relics of sin still abiding in them. This the spouse acknowledges, "I sleep, but my heart waketh," Cant. v. 2. (3.) The third is a judicial and penal increase of that natural sleep, and that deadness of heart, by the custom and continuance in sin. This is properly that forementioned deep sleep, Isa. xxix. 10, poured upon the impenitent Jews; and this last is that which is here attributed to these seducers. And in two respects may such sinners be compared to men in a deep sleep; in regard of the causes, and the effects of sleep.

[1] The causes of sleep. 1. The sleep of the body comes from obstruction and binding up of the senses by vapours which arise out of the stomach; so the spiritual fumes of worldly cares and desires obstruct the senses of the soul; therefore our Saviour speaks of being oppressed, or overcharged, with surfeiting and drunkenness, Luke xxi. 34. Prosperity is a vapour, which if it overcome not, yet weakens the brain, as strong waters do. This was the cause of David's, Solomon's, and Asa's sleep. 2. Sleep ariseth from weariness and want of spirits; and there is a weariness causing spiritual sleep, namely, that which arises from too much expense of the strength of the soul upon other matters, impertinences that concern not its true happiness and welfare. 3. Oft sleep comes from want of exercise; and when there is a cessation from spiritual exercises, prayer, hearing, sacraments, meditation, there follows a spiritual sleep: these are the fuel of grace; and he that will not exercise himself to godliness, 1 Tim. iv. 7, shall never keep himself long awake. 4. Sleep may come from sleepy yawning and slothful company; the company of spiritual sluggards causes spiritual sleep. Cold, formal persons cast a damp upon the heat of others; frozen company derive a spiritual iciness Spirituale gelici into the souls of those who converse dium. Ames. much with them. 5. Some are made to sleep by singing and music; and many by the flatteries and sinful soothing of false doctrines, of libertinism, or Arminianism, &c., and by the unfaithfulness of those who dare not reprove for, but soothe in sin, are cast into a spiritual sleep.

[2.] Sinners may be compared to men in a deep sleep, because of the effects of sleep; and that in respect, 1. Of their want of shame and bashfulness in sin; they who are asleep, though naked, yet blush not: these seducers proclaimed their sin like Sodom. They could not blush, saith the prophet, Jer. viii. 12: a blushing colour is not the colour of such impudent ones. 2. Of their unarmedness and liableness to danger. In sleep, the most precious thing men carry about them may be taken away without resistance; they suffer that to be loose which they held fast before, be it ever so rich a jewel. Sisera was slain in his sleep, and Ishbosheth upon his bed, and in spiritual sleep men suffer the precious jewel of truth, and the profession thereof, to be wrung from them, and may be robbed of all that good which they had. There is no temptation, sin, or judgment but a sleeping Christian is exposed to; he is a field without a fence, a city without a watch, he hinders no invader, he is ruined without resistance. In the approach of judgments, he is naked; he makes not the name of the Lord his strong tower, he cannot act faith to close up himself in the wounds of Jesus Christ. The people of God in the midst of troubles are above them, whereas wicked men, though without trials, are ever exposed to them; they fence their estates, families, &c., not their souls. 3. In respect of unactiveness, and being without motion. Men in a deep sleep are without sense and motion: wicked men act not, move not holily; what they do they do without delight; they are summer-sluggards, harvest-sleepers; though the work be great, there is no working. A sleeping sinner works not out his salvation, he offers no violence to the kingdom of heaven, he strives not to enter the strait gate, he wrestles not in prayer, he lives as if he had nothing to do in the world; heaven is not his business: he is, but he lives not; he is a spiritual drone, a mute, a cipher, a nullity, a superfluity in the world; like Jeremiah's rotten girdle, or bad figs, Jer. xiii. 1—12; xxiv. 1-10; or like Ezekiel's vine branches, weak and unfruitful, good for nothing but the fire, not fit to make beams or rafters of, Ezek. xv. Such a kind of rest as this to a saint would be his greatest unquietness; unserviceableness is a kind of hell upon earth to a godly man. 4. In respect of unwillingness to be disturbed, stirred, or disquieted. Men disposed to sleep desire to be alone; they who are spiritually sleepy avoid such company as would rouse them from their sloth; they compose themselves to rest, draw the curtains, put out the candle, are afraid to be disquieted by the light; they are loth to do what they know, and to know what either they do or should do. They that sleep," saith the apostle, "sleep in the night," I Thess. v. 7; they are angry with the word and ministers, because they will not let them sleep quietly in sin: such as will let them alone in sin, and never disturb them, are the quiet, honest men; they will not endure wholesome words, sound doctrine. 5. And especially in respect of insensibleness, stupidity, blockishness. Men in a deep sleep feel nothing that is ενυπνιαζόμενοι, done to them. This I conceive Jude lidi ac rationis principally aims at, for "likewise also," expertes, ac si or notwithstanding, saith he, they knew berent penitus sothe judgments of God upon others, yet loc. still they sinned, they slept: so sense- pudentia denotair less and stupid were they! their con- potest, ut non absciences were "seared with a hot iron," fofitate, a qua ari, nisi etiam nequissimi somnus pudorem Lorin. in loc.

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1 Tim. iv. 2, "past feeling," Eph. iv. 19, bound up by a deep benumbedness caused by custom in sin: this was that deep sleep poured upon them by God, like that which befell Adam, whereby

i. e. perinde sto

omnes sensus ha

pitos. Beza in

Sed et stupida im

stineant ab omni

et sensum tollat.

Κεκαυτηριασ. μένοι.