A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

The next Point is more particular and express: That of ¹all graces, Love needeth keeping: Why? 1. Because of all graces 'tis most decaying. Mat. 24. 12. Rev. 2. 4. Flame is soon spent, graces that act most strongly, require most influence, as being most subject to abatement; we sooner loose our affections then any thing else. 2. Because love is a grace that we can ill spare▪ 'tis the spring and rise of all duties to God & Man. 1. To God, love is the first affection corrupted and renewed; the Schoolmen dispute whether there be any thing a man doth, that had not its first rise from love; 'tis love maketh us angry, and 'tis love maketh us ^*hate, and ^*love maketh us grieve, much more is it love that maketh us hope and desire, and delight, so 'tis gracious ^*love that sets us a mourning for sin, puts us upon hatred of evil, delighting in God and in his Laws, see 2 Cor. 4▪ 14. 1 Joh. 5. 3. Gal. 5. 6. faith worketh by love, faith receiveth grace and love, exerciseth it; if we would do any thing in the resistance of sin, in keeping the Commandments, we cannot spare ⟨p. 519⟩our love. 2. As to man, love is a grace that will make us industrious for the good of others, and therefore we read of the labour of love, 1 Thes. 1 3. 'tis gluten animarum, the glue of the souls, the cement, and solder of the Church; the jointing that runneth throughout all the living and squared stones, Col 3. 14. by this souls are mingled and all mutual offices done cheerfully: want of love to the Saints is the cause of Apostasy, for the less we love them, the more we associate to the wicked, and then zeal is damnifid and abated.