A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

1. Negative Unbelief is found in those to whom the¹ sound of the Gospel never came, or to whom God hath denied the means whereby faith might be wrought in them, the want of means is not their sin, but their punishment, or misery at least; and therefore they are not condemned so much for want of Faith in Christ, as for not obeying the Law of Nature, for sinning against that knowledge which they received in Adam; now they never received the light of the Gospel in Adam, neither had Adam the knowledge thereof revealed to him, but by special grace after the fall, when he stood in the quality of a private person, then was the promise of the Woman's seed revealed to him, therefore they that never heard of Christ, are not condemned simply ⟨p. 263⟩for not believing in him; • for their sins against the law ²they are condemned, not for their unbelief against the Gospel; that's the reason why Christ when he had said John 3. 18. Every one that believeth not, is condemned already, presently addeth by way of explication, This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, &c. as restraining it to positive Infidelity; though without Christ they can never be saved, yet God will not damn them for this reason, for not believing in Christ, for he never gave them the means of the knowledge of Christ.

1. Negative Ʋnbelief is found in those to whom the¹ sound of the Gospel never came, or to whom God hath denyed the means whereby faith might be wrought in them, the want of means is not their sin, but their punishment, or misery at least; and therefore they are not condemned so much for want of Faith in Christ, as for not obeying the Law of Nature, for sinning against that knowledge which they received in Adam; now they never received the light of the Gospel in Adam, neither had Adam the knowledge thereof revealed to him, but by special grace after the fall, when he stood in the quality of a private person, then was the promise of the Womans seed revealed to him, therefore they that never heard of Christ, are not condemned simply