A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

the water while it runneth its own course, serveth the end of the Lord of the Soil, in driving Mils, and bringing fish into his Ponds, and overflowing his Meadows, &c. So God causeth not sin in any, only permitteth it and endureth it, and serveth his righteous ends of it, Rom. 9. 24. He endureth with much long suffering, the vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction, he prepareth the vessels of mercy (as the Apostle there expresseth) but endureth the vessels of wrath, while they fit themselves for ruin. 4. Sin is the cause of punishment, though Gods will is the cause why they are passed by, they are not punished because not elected, but because not obedient, Wherefore doth a living man complain, but for his sins, Lam. 3. 39. tis here as it was in that case; David gave order to Solomon, that Joab and Shime• should not dye in peace, 1 King. 2. Yet Davids order was no cause of Joabs death, but his own treason, nor of Shimeis death, but his own flight: God never damneth the creature, or decreeth to damn it without respect of sin; Gods Will is the cause of Preterition, his Justice is the cause of Predamnation, for damnation is an act of punitive Justice: God is so just, that he doth not condemn any, but for sin; so gracious, that he doth not condemn every man that doth sin. 5. The formal and proper end of God in Reprobation, is not the eternal destruction of the creature; but the discovery of his own Justice or glory, promoted or shining forth in and by that destruction: in Election ⟨p. 185⟩God desireth and effecteth the salvation of a sinner in a subordination to his own glory; but in Preterition, God endureth a sinner with much long suffering, till by his own destruction, he bringeth to him the glory of his justice, Ezek 23. 11. As I live saith the Lord, I desire not the death of a sinner, So Ezek. 18. 23. Have I any pleasure at all, that the wicked should dye? the meaning is, God doth not will these things with such a will as is terminated in the destruction of the creature, but only ordereth them in a subordination to his own glory, or in plainer terms, God delighteth not in the destruction of a sinner, as 'tis the destruction of the creature; but as it is the execution of Justice: in the execution of a malefactor, there is a difference between punishment and destruction; his punishment is of the Judge, his destruction is of himself;