A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

In the twenty third verse is the other part of that duty which they owed to straying Brethren. [And others] those that are of another strain and temper [save] that is, do your endeavour to be instruments of their Salvation, See 1 Tim. 4. 16. Thou shalt save thy self, and them that hear thee [with fear] that is, by some more severe course either making the admonition more sharp, or denouncing judgment against them, or by the reverend use of Church censures, which were then dreadful, as being solemnly managed and accompanied with some sensible marks of Gods vengeance, 1 Cor. 5, 5. anguish of Spirit or possibly torments of body. [pulling them out of the fire] some make it an allusion to the several ways of purgation by water or by fire▪ these latter like the harder metals are to be pulled out of the fire, but this seemeth to be forced: Rather 'tis an allusion to the snatching of a man whom we would save, out the fire where he is likely to be burned; we then not only nicely reach out the hand, but pluck them out with violence, or it may be an allusion to Lots being plucked out of Sodom ⟨p. 542⟩by Angels, Gen. 19. 16. [hating the garment spotted by the flesh] 'tis a figurative speech, some apply it to the avoiding of the appearance of evil; there is a story of Valentinian in ^*Theodoret, who accompanying Julian the Apostate to the Temple of Fortune, and those that had charge of the house sprinkled their holy water upon the Emperor, a drop falling upon his garment, he beat the Officer, [Greek or Hebrew], saying, that he was polluted, not purged, and tore off the piece of his garment upon which the drop lighted, hating (saith the Historian) the garment spotted by the flesh: But rather the expression alludeth to the old Law concerning legal uncleanness, Lev. 15. 4. The bed whereon he lieth is unclean, and Verse 17. every garment is unclean, and therefore I suppose it noteth their avoiding the society of such evil persons as in the greater excommunication they were wont to do, which separation was a solemn profession how much the Church did detest the wickedness.