cuse, an opportunity. So that those false teachers of whom Jude complains had the hearts of their hearers on their side, when they corrupted the faith of the Lord Jesus, and turned the grace of God into licentiousness.

Jude resists these efforts. He reminds the disciples of the consequences of sin in former times, by which they might be sure what its consequences would always be: since the Lord changes not. He puts them in remembrance of what they had once known, how the Lord, having saved the Israelites out of Egypt, afterwards destroyed them in the wilderness. "Because of unbelief" they were never permitted to enjoy the rest of Canaan. The case might be just the same again. Jesus Christ had made propitiation for sin; but not for those who continue in sin. There is "no inheritance for them in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Christians had no privileges of covenant which the Israelites had not. The covenant did not save them, when they proved disobedient: neither will it save those who succeed them.

Nay, if the example of man is not sufficient, angels furnish further testimony. There were among the angels those who, like Adam, kept not their first estate, departed from grace given, and, like him, were expelled from their own habitation. These, too, when they lost their heavenly nature, lost all their heavenly privileges; instead of the favour of God, incurred his vengeance; and are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

If "God spared not the angels who sinned," why

should he spare the Christian who sins? Is the nature of man superior to that of angels?

Again, Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, hold up a perpetual warning, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. They had not seen the things that Christians had seen. Their transgression might appear less heinous; yet they perished. Now the sin of those who were corrupting the church of Christ was of like nature. They, too, followed the devices and desires of their own hearts: they did not brook controul: they reviled those who would restrain, and by restraining save them.

8. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

9. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.1

10. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Better natures than theirs had shown examples of meekness and moderation, and better creatures than they had refrained from railing accusations. But these have no sense of modesty, are restrained by no shame. They speak evil of the persons and the things they know not. They know nothing of the

1 This is written in conformity with some ancient record, of which no other trace remains. Concerning the death of Moses, we read in the book of Deuteronomy, (xxxiv. 5,) " Moses died in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley of the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day."

beauty of order and the benefits of government: how it is the remedial blessing of earth to amend what is wrong there; and the original happiness of heaven, to preserve what is excellent there. And not knowing this, they despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Further, they know not the real good of man: how it consists in the regulation of his passions, in the right direction of his affections. in the obedience of his thoughts and words and works to the law which God has prescribed: in his seeking happiness, where God has revealed to him that true happiness is to be found. And they know not the nature of heaven: how its distinctive character is, that therein "dwelleth righteousness: " and that "out of it shall be gathered all things that offend, and they that work iniquity." These things they know not: and therefore they speak evil of them; they rail against them: they misrepresent them. As the Lord said to the Sadducees, when they thought to perplex him with a question concerning the resurrection: "Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God?" 2

But the human mind is never void, and human nature never idle: if it is not filled with good, it will abound with what is bad: weeds will overrun the field where good seed is not sown: and the man who is not employed in resisting evil, will occupy himself in pursuing it. So these, while they speak evil of things which they know not, in those things which they know naturally as brute beasts, in those they corrupt themselves.

Mark xii. 24.

There are things which men know naturally. They know what gratifies their appetites. The brute beasts, as Jude here reminds us, know the same. To them God has given instinct, so that they do not pursue their appetites to their own injury. To men he has given reason, that they may so use appetite as not abusing it: keep it within bounds, and know what is expedient for them. This he has done for all. But for these he had done more: he had laid his own commands upon them, to be temperate in all things: to "keep under their body, and bring it into subjection:" to "mortify the flesh with the affections and lusts:" to preserve their bodies from defilement, as "the temples of the Holy Ghost." But in these very things they corrupt themselves. These things will always be the trial of the church. These things are the test by which it is seen where men's heart is. It is the touchstone of their faith, whether they "believe unto righteousness." And therefore in these things they corrupt themselves— they exhibit their corruption-who are such as Jude describes; they who reject authority; pervert the grace of God; and walk not after the Spirit, but after the flesh. This is the point to which all false doctrine tends and this is the object at which all are aiming, who in manifold ways depart from "the truth delivered to the saints." Their purpose is, to indulge in sin; and their object, to find some license for so doing.

"Therefore," (it is the Lord's own rule,) by their fruits ye shall know them." Whether they are false teachers or true, ye shall know by the tendency of their doctrines. Do they indulge the flesh, or mor

tify it? Do they incline us to follow what men naturally know, as the inferior animals; or to cherish that divine nature, which Christ came to restore? Grace never indulges nature. Nature never favours restraint. If the doctrine be of God, it will savour the things of God. But if it be of men, it will agree with the appetites and passions, and the fruits of the Spirit will not spring from it: there will be impurity, variance, wrath, strife, envyings, and such like, where there ought to be gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance. 3 For "they that are Christ's" indeed, "have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts." And "he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

LECTURE LXXXVI.

THE FALSE BRETHREN DESCRIBED AND CON

DEMNED.

JUDE 11-16.

11. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

The disturbers of the church, the false brethren

3 See Gal. v. 19-23.

4 Ib. vi. 8.