A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

If you ask what kind of Darkness is intended here? I answer, though all may be implied; yet chiefly the darkness of misery is here intended, they being cast down from the light and glory of the highest Heavens, into dark and obscure babitations, where they want the sight of God, and the light of his countenance, as when the Sun is gone, there is nothing but darkness in the world; so being banished out of the presence of God, they are fitly said to be held under darkness; for as the Sun is to the corporeal world, so is God to the world of Spirits, Psal. 4. 6. now their Sun is Eclipsed, and by the interposition of the dark cloud of their sin and obstinacy; they cannot have the least comfortable glimpse and fruition of God: to which also may be added, the horrible apprehension of their loss, ⟨p. 301⟩and that terror and discomfort that lieth upon them, for they have only so much light left, as serveth to increase their torment; I confess 'tis disputed by Divines, whether the Devils can grieve for the loss of the light of Gods countenance, or the want of the beatifical vision, and the ground of doubting is, because there is in the Devils an extreme averseness, enmity, and hatred of God and his Glory; but certain, as they are rational creatures, they cannot but be sensible of their loss, as also the damned spirits are, and so great a loss of happiness (for that is the consideration under which they are sensible of it) must needs breed horror and torment; they do, not mourn for the absence of God as the Saints do. out of a principle of holiness, and because God is lovely in himself, but as profitable to them; & this sense as 'tis accompanied with despair, so with blasphemy and hatred of God, surely every part of the sentence that is pronounced upon wicked men, is fitted to beget terror in them, and therefore depart from me, is apprehended as a misery, as well as go into everlasting torments. Add further to their darkness that despair that is upon them, and fearful looking for of the fiery indignation of the Lord, which desperate sorrow is expressed by utter darkness, and gnashing of teeth, Matth. 22. 13.

If you ask what kind of Darkness is intended here? I answer, though all may be implyed; yet chiefly the darkness of misery is here intended, they being cast down from the light and glory of the highest Heavens, into dark and obscure babitations, where they want the sight of God, and the light of his countenance, as when the Sun is gone, there is nothing but darknesse in the world; so being banished out of the presence of God, they are fitly said to be held under darkness; for as the Sun is to the corporeal world, so is God to the world of Spirits,