faith upon people invented by men, not delivered by God; who erect a building of faith upon the foundation of philosophical principles. Schoolmen and papists fasten many things for articles of faith upon the people, which they never received from divine delivery, but from the discourse of blind reason: what else are their errors concerning worship, free will, inherent righteousness, the merit of works, &c., but streams which flowed from the ethics of philosophers, not the Epistles of Paul? Human reason is deceitful, when it goes beyond its bounds. A philosopher, as such, is but a natural man, and perceives not the things of God. Blind men cannot judge of colours, beasts order not human affairs; nor must human reason determine of heavenly doctrine. The principles of reason are a sandy foundation for the conclusions of divine doctrine. Hagar must be ejected, if she submit not to Sarah. Reason must be subdued to faith.

Obs. 5. Great is the dignity of a minister's office. The end of it is the delivering of the faith to people. Ministers, though earthen vessels, yet carry a treasure; though torn caskets, yet they contain jewels, 2 Cor. iv. 7. A faithful minister is God's steward, to dispense his blessings. He is a star for light and influence; a cloud to distil down showers of plenty upon God's weary heritage; a nurse, a father, a saviour, a common good. Joseph's office in delivering out of corn to the people in the famine made him honoured; how worthy an employment is it then to deliver to souls the bread of life!

Obs. 6. It is a great sin to part with the faith delivered to us. It is a heinous sin either in ministers or people. In the former, when they shall either give it away, or suffer it to be taken from them. For the defence of the gospel they are set, Phil. i. 17; they must be men made up of fire in the midst of a field of stubble of errors; though holily patient when their own interest, yet holily impatient when the interest of Christ is endangered. They must not be dumb dogs when thieves attempt to rob the house of God, the church. Though they must not bite the children within, yet neither spare the thief without. Nor is any Christian exempted in his station from the duty of keeping faith: they must not sell the truth, Prov. xxiii. 23; not patiently suffer sectaries and persecutors to bereave them of it; not for the love of their swine suffer Christ to go, much less send Christ out of their coasts; not part with the faith by keeping their money. In a word, they must keep the faith by perseverance in the love and profession of it, by taking heed of error and profaneness, lest being led away with the error of the wicked, they fall from their stedfastness, 2 Pet. iii. 17.

2. Jude saith in the amplification of this faith, that it was delivered to the saints, roiç ayious. It may here be inquired, 1. Who are holy and saints? 2. Who the saints are to whom this faith was delivered?

Men are called holy in two respects. (1.) In respect of the holiness of destination, separation, or being set apart from common uses and employments to the holy service of God: thus the Greeks apply the word apopiw, to separate; and thus not only men, but the temple, vessels, sabbath, tabernacle are called holy, 2 Chron. vii. 16; Isa. xiii. 3; 1 Kings ix. 3. The first-born God commands Moses to sanctify, Exod. xiii. 2; which he explains, "Thou shalt set apart to the Lord," &c., ver. 12. Thus the prophets and apostles are often in Scriptures called holy; and Jeremiah was sanctified from the womb, Jer. i. 5, in regard of this holiness of separation and dedication; and all visible professors and their children are called holy, I Cor. vii. 14, as likewise may the whole body of a visible church.

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(2.) In respect of their having holiness really and properly put into them; which is done by the Holy Spirit, whence it is read of the sanctification of spirit, it abolishing their native pollution and unholiness, and bestowing upon them graces and holy qualities by the renovation of God's image in them, 2 Thess. ii. 13; 1 Pet. i. 2; 1 Cor. i. 2; Exod. xix. 6. And the Holy Spirit makes them holy in two respects. 1. Of not holy privatively; and so man that had lost totally his holiness is made holy by regeneration or effectual vocation. 2. Of less holy; and so God's children are sanctified, by being enabled to exercise an actual mortifying of sin, and living in holiness, with proceeding in both.

2. Who the saints are to whom the faith was delivered ?

(1.) Some by saints here understand those holy prophets, apostles, and other ministers, who are holy by peculiar office and employment, to whom God delivered the doctrine of faith, either of old, in an extraordinary, or since, in an ordinary way, that they might be his ministers in delivering it unto others; and these in Scripture are called holy: "He spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began," Luke i. 70. And Acts iii. 11, the same words are again used. 'Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," 2 Pet. i. 21. "The words spoken before by the holy prophets," 2 Pet. iii. 2. "Ye holy apostles and prophets," Rev. xviii. 20. "The Lord God of the holy prophets," Rev. xxii. 6. And these in a peculiar manner had the doctrine of faith delivered to them. "Ye" apostles "shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth," Acts i. 8. These had commission to teach all nations, Matt. xxviii. 19. By these the great salvation was confirmed, Heb. ii. 3. Paul tells the Corinthians, he had received from the Lord that which he delivered to them, 1 Cor. xi. 23. And, "I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received," 1 Cor. xv. 3. And, “A dispensation of the gospel is committed to me," 1 Cor. ix. 17. "God hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation," 2 Cor. v. 19. "The gospel of uncircumcision was committed to me," Gal. ii. 7. "The glorious gospel of the blessed God was committed to my trust, 1 Tim. i. 11. "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust," 1 Tim. vi. 20. He principally means the gospel with which God had intrusted him. So Tit. i. 3, &c.

(2.) But, not excluding the former, by the saints to whom the faith was delivered, I understand all the people of God to whom it was delivered by the forementioned servants of God. And as some of these were saints in regard only of visible profession and dedication, and others were made saints in respect of true and saving sanctity; so the faith was delivered unto these differently to the former, by way of outward administration and visible dispensation; to the latter, who were made true saints, by way of saving and effectual operation. They who were and continued to be only visible and external saints had the faith delivered unto them, as the common sort of Israelites had, to whom God wrote the great things of his law, and yet they were accounted a strange thing, Hos. viii. 12; and to whom were committed the oracles of God, Rom. iii. 2, and yet they believed not, Isa. liii. 1; contenting themselves in the retaining the letter of the law, declaring God's statutes, and taking his covenant into their mouth; in the mean time never regarding to have the law written in their hearts, but hating instruction, and casting the word of God behind them, Psal. 1. 16, 17, &c. They who had the faith delivered unto them by way of effica

cious and saving operation, did not only hear, but believe the report of God's messengers, and the arm of God was revealed to them, Isa. liii. 1; to whom it was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, although to others it was not given, Matt. xiii. 11; and for whose sake alone the faith is delivered to others, who got no good at all thereby, but only an estimation for members of the visible church. Obs. 1. The word is to be laid out and delivered to, not to be laid up and kept from others. The saints are to be the better for it. The ministry is in Scripture compared to light; what more diffusive? to seed; it must be scattered: to bread; it must be broken and distributed to every one according to their exigences: to salt; it must not be laid up in the salt-box, but laid out in seasoning the flesh, that it may be kept from putrefaction. He who hides truth buries gold. Ministers must rather be worn with using than rusting. Paul did spend, and was spent. The sweat of a minister, as it is reported of Alexander's, casts a sweet savour. His talents are not for the napkin, but occupation. How sinful are they that stand idle in a time of labour! how impious they who compel them to stand so!

Obs. 2. They who retain and keep the faith are saints. Visibly those are saints, and that is a church, which keep it by profession and ministerially. That is a church which is the pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. iii. 15; to whom the oracles of God are committed, as Paul speaks of the Jews, Rom. iii. 2. None are so to complain of the defects of our church, for what it wants, as to deny it a church, considering what it has. It holds forth the truth of all doctrines which serve both for the beginning and increase of faith. It is one of Christ's golden candlesticks wherein he hath set up the light of his word; and though sectaries do not, yet Christ walks in the midst of them. I must be bold to fear, that because our adversaries cannot rationally deny, that while we hold forth the truth we are a true church, they labour by their errors to extinguish the truth, that so we may be none.

Obs. 3. How much is the world beholden to saints! They have kept the faith, the word of life, for the ungrateful world ever since it was first delivered. Were it not for them, we had lost our truth, nay, lost our God. These are they who have in all ages with their breath, nay, with their blood, preserved the gospel, kept the word of Christ's patience, Rev. iii. 8, 10. And rather than they would nor keep the faith, they have lost their lives. They profit the world against its will, they are benefactors to their several ages; like indulgent parents, they have laid up the riches of faith for those who have desired their deaths. It is our duty, though not to adore them, yet to honour their memory. Satan knows no mean between deifying and nullifying them. Imitation of them is as unquestionably our duty, as adoration of them would be our sin.

The

Obs. 5. The fewness of faith's entertainers is no derogation from faith's excellency. They are a poor handful of saints by whom the faith is preserved, and to whom it is delivered in the world. greatest number of men and nations have not the faith delivered unto them ministerially, and of them the far greater part never had it delivered efficaciously. It is better to love the faith with a few, than to leave it with a multitude. Numbers cannot prove a good cause, nor oppose a great God.

Obs. 6. The true reason of Satan's peculiar rage against saints, is because they have that faith delivered to them which is the bane and battery of his kingdom; that word which is an antidote against his poison; that doctrine which discovers his deeds of darkness. Satan's policy is to disarm a place of the word when he would subdue it; he peaceably suffers those to live who have not the weapons of holy doctrine; he throws his cudgels against fruitful trees; he lays wait as a thief for those who travel with this treasure. They who are empty of this treasure may sing and be merry when they meet with him; he never stops them. Others who have the faith he sets upon and annoys. "I have given them thy word," (saith Christ,) "and the world hath hated them," John xvii. 14.

3. Jude saith, in this amplification, the faith was once delivered, once, ära.

Three things may be touched in the explication. 1. The meaning of the word once.

2. The agreement thereof with the delivery of faith, or how faith may be said to be once delivered. 3. Why the apostle adds this expression, "once," to the delivery of faith, amplifying it this way. For the first, The word " once" is taken two ways in Scripture and ordinary usage.

arte læsa pudi

illa semel. Ovid.

(1.) As it is opposed to inconstancy, deficiency, cessation, or uncertainty of Nulla reparabilis continuance; and so once is as much as citia est, deperit, firmly, constantly, irrevocably, always. Thus God saith, "Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David," Psal. lxxxix. 35; that is, my oath is irrevocable, nor is there any danger of inconstancy. What I have sworn shall surely be accomplished.

(2.) Once is taken as it is opposed to reiteration, repetition, or frequency, either of the being or doing of any thing; and so once is as much as once, and no more; once for all; once, and not again; once, and only once. When a thing is done so fully and perfectly, that it need not, or should not, or cannot be done again. Thus "Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many," Heb. ix. 28. And we read of "the offering of Christ once for all," Heb. x. 10. And Abishai desired to smite Saul once, promising that he would not smite him the second time, I Sam. xxvi. 8.

2. For the second, Both these significations agree most aptly and suitably to the delivery of the doctrine of faith. For,

hearts, and profession of a number of men. "My words" (saith God) "shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, from henceforth and for ever," Isa. lix. 21. Christ promises to be with his ministers to the end of the world, Matt. xxviii. 19. The servants of Christ shall trade in the spiritual merchandise of faith till he come, Luke xix. 13. The people of God in the use of the Lord's supper shall set forth "the Lord's death till he come," 1 Cor. xi. 26. And the work of the ministry, with the edifying of the body thereby, shall continue till we all meet, &c., Eph. iv. 13. That the doctrine of faith shall ever continue in one place, is not asserted; but that it shall ever in some place, is certain. It is not for the dignity of Christ, the King of his church, ever to suffer his sceptre to be wrested out of his hands. It is not consistent with the safety, integrity, health, life, &c. of the church, in this her condition of constant exigence, to be deprived of the doctrine which is given her for armour, a rule, medicine, food. It is as easy for enemies to pluck the sun out of the firmament, as this faith out of the church. The whole power and policy of hell have been employed for that purpose sixteen hundred years. Could it have been done, it had been done long before now.

Semel traditam doctrinam dicit quæ nunquam sit posthac immutanda. Beza in loc.

(2.) The faith is once delivered, as once is opposed to frequency or reiteration; it is once and no more, once for all, once, and not again to be delivered; in respect it shall never be delivered again, with any change or alteration which it is to receive. It is a work done so well that it need not be done again, because it cannot be done better. And thus the doctrine of salvation may be said to be once or unalterably delivered, both in respect of the matter of it, and the present manner of administering it. [1.] In respect of the matter; it never was, nor ever shall be changed. The same Saviour of man, and Mediator between God and man, hath unalterably been afforded. "Christ Jesus the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever," Heb. xiii. 8. He was "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," Rev. xiii. 8. There never was any other but his name by which salvation at any time was bestowed, Acts iv. 12. All, even those before and after Christ, have drank of the same spiritual Rock, 1 Cor. x. 4. Christ is "the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world," John i. 29; not he the sin of some ages, and another of other ages of the world. 'He is the Saviour of the whole body," Eph. v. 23. No other gospel can be preached but the glad tidings of life by Christ, Gal. i. 7. "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. iii. 11. As Christ, so the doctrine of life by Christ, is the same yesterday to Adam, the patriarchs, and prophets, to-day to the apostles, and for ever to all following saints. It is a testament wherein all the legacies of grace and glory are bequeathed; and therefore (as the apostle argues) it is unalterable, Gal. iii. 15. The rule of life, the holy law of God, is a standing and unalterable rule. Whatsoever is a sin against the moral law now, was a sin always; duties required now by it, were duties always. Peace is the portion now, and it was ever the portion of them that walked according to it. The ransom from death, and standing rule of life, were ever one and the same.

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[2.] The doctrine of salvation is once, i. e. unalterably delivered now, in respect of the present manner of administration; namely, by ministers, preaching, and sacraments, &c. No other form or manner of exhibiting the benefits by Christ can be introduced. In respect of this manner of administra

tion and exhibition of the benefits of the gospel, without legal types, shadows, and sacrifices, it is called the new testament; and it is called new because it is to be always new, and never grow old, as the former did. Should there ever be another manner of administration admitted, it must be called the new testament; and so either this must be called old, and then there must be two old testaments, the former and this, or this must still be called new, and so there should be granted two new testaments. Besides, this last way of administration of the benefits of the gospel being instituted by Christ himself, it should much derogate from the dignity of Christ, if another way should afterward be thought more excellent and perfect. God in these last times hath spoken (saith the apostle) by his Son, and therefore delivered his will more excellently and worthily than ever before, Heb. i. 2. After Christ comes none. The condition also of the times of the gospel is such, that they are called "the last days," Heb. i. 2, and after the last comes no time. So that faith shall never, in respect of the matter delivered, or manner of delivering, receive a new edition, for enlarging, correcting, or amending the former.

3. Why does the apostle add this expression" once" to the delivery of faith? It is used as a most invincible argument to prevail with these Christians to preserve the faith and themselves from the wicked and destructive errors and practices of seducers; and so it is a strong argument several ways. (1.) It is an argument from the possible, nay, sure successfulness of the work of contending, they being to contend for a faith that was once delivered, that was always to remain, that should never be totally removed; against which the power of hell should never prevail. What soldier would not willingly fight for the party that doth prevail, and is ever sure to do so? when it is not a desperate battle, but there is a certainty of success?

(2.) It is an argument ab honesto, from the seemliness of it, and that two ways. 1. It is a faith once delivered, and but once; once delivered, and unchangeably the same which their holy predecessors, patriarchs, prophets, and apostles embraced and defended, and therefore to be preserved and maintained. Who will not carefully preserve the inheritance which belonged to his ancestors? God forbid, saith Naboth, "that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee," I Kings xxi. 3. If the ancient landmarks be not to be removed, much less the faithmarks, Prov. xxii. 28. A ring, a jewel which_belonged to our father or predecessors of old, how precious is it! 2. It is a faith once, and so always and perpetually to be delivered; and therefore by preserving it to be left as a legacy to posterity, to be laid up as a precious depositum or treasure for children and successors, we should endeavour that the generation which is yet to come may also serve the same God, and enjoy the same Christ and gospel. How desirable is it to put, as it were, a fallacy upon death, by doing good, and living when we are dead; to communicate religion to posterity; to be like musk, of which the box savours when it is emptied of it!

(3.) It is an argument a periculoso; it is a faith once delivered, i. e. without reiteration and alteration; and therefore the errors of seducers are not this faith: q. d. If you let it go for that pretended faith of these seducers, you part with a pearl for a pebble, a rich conveyance, not of an earthly, but of a heavenly inheritance, like children, for a doll. The living child by the seducers is taken away, and the dead one laid in its room. The faith is unchangeable, and therefore the faith which sectaries would fasten

Demas having "loved the present world," soon forsook Paul, 2 Tim. iv. 10. Seducers through covetousness will make merchandise of souls, Tit. i. 11 ; 2 Pet. ii. 3. Pride will also hinder from finding and keeping wisdom, Prov. xiv. 6. God giveth grace to the humble, and resisteth the proud. The garment of humility is the soul's guard against every spiritual mischief. It is prudent counsel to be "clothed with humility," I Pet. v. 5. A humble soul will neither hatch nor easily be hurt by heresies. (4.) Labour to grow in grace. "Beware," saith the apostle, "lest being led away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness;" the remedy is immediately subjoined, but " grow in grace." They who stand at a stay will soon go backwards.

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This for the first part of the duty to which the apostle exhorted these Christians; viz. What the thing was which he commended to them to maintain, "The faith once delivered to the saints." condly, The means whereby he exhorts them to defend the faith; by an earnest contending for it, "That you should earnestly contend."

Two things offer themselves in the explanation. 1. To show what the force and importance of that word is which is translated "earnestly contend."

2. More fully, what the apostle here intends by earnest contending for the faith, and wherein this earnest contention consists, as it is employed for the faith.

Decerto. Bez.

dicitur de æstu

qui in certamen descensurus est. Accipitur pro Jucta in morte. Gerh. Harmn.

1. The compound word in the original, Supercerto. Vulg. maywviloμai, which our English words "earnestly contend" answer, is only used in this place throughout the whole New Testament. All the several translations thereof by interpreters, speak this contention to which Jude exhorts these Christians to be eminent and extraordinary. The word ȧywviloμar out of composition (though then it imports not so notable a contention as it does Ayovia proprie here in composition) is rightly transatione animi in eo lated, to strive, to fight, and that as for the mastery, to labour fervently, John xviii. 36; Luke xiii. 24; 1 Cor. ix. 25; Col. i. 29; 1 Tim. vi. 12; 2 Tim. iv. 7; and signifies that vehement fighting and striving which was wont to be among wrestlers in their solemn games, with sweat, pains, and trouble; but it being so compounded as in this place, it imports a more renowned and famous contention than ordinary. It is not agreed by all wherein the force of the composition in consists. Some conceive that thereby the apostle intends they should add one kind of contention to another, as possibly an open professed to an inward and secret contention. Others, that the apostle would have them after one battle to double and reinforce the fight again with new supplies. Others, best of all, that Jude exhorts these Christians to put to all their strength and utmost force in their contention, as those who fought for their lives, nay, that which was dearer than life itself, even the life of their souls: and so great is this contention, that no one English word is able to express the Greek; to contend with all their strength, extraordinarily, beyond measure, most earnestly, scarcely render the meaning of the word. More particularly, this extraordinary and most eminent contention imports five things. (1.) A serious and weighty cause and ground of contention. Men account not trifles worth any, much less vehement strife. The thing about which they contend earnestly, is either weighty, or so esteemed. (2.) It imports a considerable enemy to strive with; not one who is contemptible, but who requires a great power to contend with him. (3.) Some strength and force whereby to deal with him. A child is not only unable to conquer, but

even to contend with a giant. (4.) A putting forth of strength against the enemy. Though a man be never so strong, yet if he stands still, and puts not out his strength, he contends not. (5.) And lastly, the contending after such a manner as is conducible to a victory, and prevailing over the enemy with whom we contend, even the using of our utmost, best, and choicest endeavours; not a slight, but a serious and victorious contention.

2. From hence we may gather what this earnest contention comprehends, which is here to be employed about this faith.

(1.) It imports that the forementioned faith is a serious and weighty ground, and a most considerable cause upon and for which to contend. What does the Scripture more hold forth to be our duty, than to buy the truth, and not to sell it, Prov. xxiii. 23; to "strive together for the faith of the gospel,” Phil. i. 27; to be fellow helpers to the truth; to keep the word of God's patience, Rev. iii. 10; to be valiant for the truth; to justify wisdom, &c.? Matt. xi. 19. Most precious is this faith to be contended for! First, even God himself was the Fountain and Founder of it, the Sun from which this ray of faith was darted, the mine whence this faith, more to be desired than the finest gold, was taken, Psal. xix. 10. All the princes of the world, with all their combined bounties, could never have bestowed this faith upon the world. How precious is it, secondly, in regard of the price of it, the death of Christ, without which not one promise of the word of life would ever have been made, or made good to our souls! How precious, lastly, in regard of the benefit of it! it does all for us that God does, Psal. xix. 7-9; John xvii. 17. For God affords by it direction in our doubts, consolation in our troubles, confirmation in our fears, sanctification in our filthiness, guidance to glory. In sum, "it is the power of God to salvation," Rom. i. 16. It is not then a slight and trivial, but a most weighty and considerable cause, for which these Christians were so earnestly to contend, it being for the maintaining of the faith.

(2.) It implies and presupposes a considerable and strong adversary to contend with, in contending for the faith. The enemies with whom these Christians were to strive were sectaries, and soul-destroying seducers; and Satan is the ringleader, instructor, and assistant both of these and of all other forces raised against faith. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood," saith the apostle, "but against principalities and powers. We wrestle not with flesh and blood," Eph. vi. 12, as it is in itself, weak and frail, but as set on work, assisted, and guided by Satan. Flesh and blood are but Satan's instruments, he sets them on work; he tempted Eve, not the serpent, Gen. iii. 1; he winnowed Peter, when the man and maid made Peter to deny Christ, Luke xxii. 31. Satan hindered Paul from coming to the Thessalonians, though by the persecuting Jews, 1 Thess. ii. 18. Satan cast some of the Smyrnians into prison, when men did it, Rev. ii. 10. The false prophets, with whom these Christians here were to contend for the faith, are called the ministers of Satan; he is "the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience," 2 Cor. xi. 14, 15; Eph. ii. 2; iv. 27; Acts v. 3. Satan has a hand in soliciting us to sin, either by our own lusts, or by the enticements of others. In all combats, either against our own corruptions or others, persecutors, or seducers, if we can drive away the devil, flesh and blood will not much annoy us. If the captain be conquered, the common soldier will yield. It is Satan who seduces in seducers. Paul was afraid, lest as the serpent beguiled Eve, the mind of the Corinthians "should be corrupted from