A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

From that [Despise. Dominion] Observe, that errors especially ¹such as tend to sensuality, make men unruly and Antimagistraticall. Dreamers that do defile themselves, do also despise Dominion; Now this cometh to pass, partly from the permission of Gods wise and just providence, who suffereth such miscarriages to awaken the magistrate to a care of truth, if not in zeal for Gods glory, yet out of a sense of his own interest, and upon reason of state; the Common-wealth being troubled by those who first began to trouble the Church, [Greek or Hebrew]; new Doctrines put men after an itch upon new Laws, and false Religions are usually turbulent; partly because persons loose and erroneous would free themselves from all awe, both of God and Man, as 'tis said of the unjust Judge, that he feared neither God nor Man, Luk. 18. So with those men, error taketh off the dread of God, and sedition the dread of the Magistrate, that so they may more freely defile the flesh. God hath two Deputies to keep a sinner under awe, Conscience and the Magistrate; now false doctrine benummeth conscience, and then that all Authority may be laid ⟨p. 347⟩aside, the rights of the Magistrate are invaded, that as conscience may not stand in the way of their lust, so not the Magistrate in the way of their sin, that there were anciently such libertines in the Church appeareth by Gal. 5. 13. and 1 Pet. 2. 16. and 1 Cor. 7. 20, 21, 22, 23▪ vain man would fain be free and yokeless, neither would he have his heart subject to God, nor his actions to mans censure: partly, because all errors are rooted in obstinacy, and that will bewray its self, not only in Divine and Spiritual, but in Civil things, see 2 Pet. 2. 10. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness: Presumptuous are they and self willed▪ they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Usually errors sear the conscience, and give the sinner a front and boldness, so that God is not only dishonoured, but civil societies disturbed as Nazianzen observeth of the Arians; they began in blasphemous language against Christ, but end in tumultuous carriage against the peace of the Common-wealth; for