Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men… 1. The object of the Divine decrees are not only men's ways, but men's persons. He doth not only say that their condemnation was preordained, but they also were ordained of old to this condemnation. 2. God hath His books and registers, wherein the persons, behaviours, and eternal estates of all men are recorded (Revelation 20:12). 3. In all those things which appertain to the judgment of sinners God doth nothing rashly, but proceedeth by foresight and preordination. 4. No man ever perverted the truths of God but to his own loss. We play with opinions, but do not consider that damnation is the end of them; the way of truth is the way of life, but error tendeth to death. 5. Heresies and errors do not fall out by chance, but according to the certain preordination and foreknowledge of God. There are two reasons for it: — Nothing can come to pass without His will, and nothing can come to pass against His will. Briefly, the concurrence of God in and about the errors of men may be conceived in these things: — (1) He denieth grace and light which might direct and sanctify. (2) He leaveth difficulty enough in the Word, that men who will not be satisfied may be hardened (Mark 4:11, 12). (3) God leaveth them to follow the course of their own hearts; He doth not incline and compel their wills, or infuse evil to them (Hosea 4:17; 1 Kings 22:22; Psalm 81:12); He hindereth not their wickedness — yea, permitteth it, that so His wise counsels may take place. (4) God ordereth it for good, thereby bringing great advantage to His own name (Exodus 9:16). (5) Once more, God's permission of error conduceth to the just ruin of His enemies (Matthew 18:6, 7; 1 Samuel 2:25).The point may be applied many ways. (1) Here is comfort to those that regard the affairs of Sion; all the confusion and troubles that are in the Church are ordered by a wise God; He will bring some good issue out of them. (2) It checketh fear; it is all in the hands of a good God; as God trieth you to see what you will do, so you must wait upon God to see what He will do: He will bring forth His work in due time. (3) It showeth their wickedness that take occasion to turn atheists from the multitude of errors. (4) It is a ground of prayer in times of delusion: Lord, this was ordained by Thee in wisdom, let us discern Thy glory in it and by it more and more. (5) It informeth us what a foolish madness it is to think that God seeth not the sin which we secretly commit: surely He seeth it, for He foresaw it before it was committed; yea, from all eternity. (T. Manton.) Parallel Verses KJV: For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. |
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