A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

1. Christs second coming is to judgement; so 'tis said in the Text, He shall come with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement. Of his first coming 'tis said. John 3. 17. God sent not his Son to judge the world, but that the world through him should be saved; he came not then as a Judge; but as a Redeemer, offering and procuring grace and life, when we frustrate the end of his coming as a Redeemer, we make way for the end of his coming as a Judge, and he that then came to us, will now come against us.

2. When Christ cometh to judgement, one great part of his work will be, to convince sinners, and that openly, publicly. ⟨p. 441⟩Some think that the whole work will be dispatched in the Conscience, without any audible and external voice, both▪ as to examination and sentence; others think the trial and conviction shall be in the conscience of a sinner, but the sentence audibly pronounced, and because the punishment is too light upon body and soul, the ear is to receive it, as well as the Conscience feel it: I conceive, that conviction, trial, and sentence, will be all open and public, though I cannot expressly say, that every particular sin shall be discovered before the whole world, yet enough manifested to show the sentence just, as their unfaithfulness in their callings, their opposition of God and Godliness, their oppression of his servants, their neglect o grace, &c. with all the circumstances and aggravations of it, as the gracious opportunities and means which they have enjoyed, stirring sermons, motions of the spirit, checks of Conscience, blessed methods of love and mercy, &c. God keepeth an account of these things; those passages which imply Gods reckoning with his people in the world, are but pledges of what he will do at the day of our last account: now here God taketh exact notice of the long time, and many means which we have enjoyed, as Luke 13. 7. these three years &c. it alludeth to the time of Christs ministry, he was just then entering upon his last half year, as by a serious harmonizing the Evangelists will appear, John 2. 54. This second miracle did Jesus in Cana of Galilee; account is kept of a former: