A89503:1078
A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude
A practical commentary, or An exposition with notes on the Epistle of Jude. Delivered (for the most part) in sundry weekly lectures at Stoke-Newington in Middlesex. By Thomas Manton, B.D. and minister of Covent-Garden.
London: printed by J.M. for Luke Fawn, 1658
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
8. The scandals of Professors are ground of mourning, but not ground of separation. 1 Cor. 5. 2. Church Guides must do their Office, discern between the precious and the vile, that the hearts of the righteous be not made sad, yet if not, you have no ground to separate, because God may own them for a Church though they have many scandals among them, as in Corinth there was incest, heresy, profaneness, many that never had repented, 2 Cor. 12. 21. yet to the Saints at Corinth: we may communicate with a Church without sin, when we have done our duty, that is, informed, warned, mourned, if the▪ word and Ordinances ⟨p. 497⟩be kept pure for substance though the persons be corrupt, you may communicate without sin, the Pharisees held the degree of Doctors and Expositors of the Law, and so far were to be owned though guilty of much personal wickedness, Matth. 23. 2, 3. The Prophets lived in corrupt times yet did they not separate from the Assemblies of the Church; usually laziness is the ground of separation, they are loth to discharge their duty, to take pains, to convince, exhort, and warn their fellow members, or to call upon their Pastors to take heed to their Ministry, and some Pastors are loth to be at the labour to gain a rugged people to the obedience of the Gospel, to use that frequent admonition, and those serious addresses which are necessary for such a purpose, and to expose themselves to encounter those exasperations which the discharge of their duty will necessarily draw upon them, and therefore run into separate assemblies where all things may be carried on more easily.
8. The scandals of Professors are ground of mourning, but not ground of separation. 1 Cor. 5. 2. Church Guides must do their Office, discern between the precious and the vile, that the hearts of the righteous be not made sad, yet if not, you have no ground to separate, because God may own them for a Church though they have many scandals among them, as in Corinth there was inc•st, heresie, profaneness, many that never had repented,