A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

'Tis Caution; Do not wrong Grace and Mercy, if it be¹ the cause of all the good which we enjoy: this is to close up the Fountain, and to make Mercy our Enemy; and if Mercy be our Enemy, who shall plead for us? If Mercy be an Accuser, where shall we get an Advocate? But how do we wrong Grace? I answer, Partly by neglecting the offers of it, when you make God speak in vain, 2 Cor. 6. 2. 'Tis a great affront we put upon God, to despise him, when he speaketh to us in the still voice, and all the wooings and pleading of Mercy do not move to look after our Salvation; though you do not despise, there is danger in bare ^*neglect, Heb. 2. 3. When all the charms of Mercy do no more work with you, then a story of golden mountains, or Rubies and Diamonds fallen from Heaven in a night dream; this neglect argueth a greater suspicion and distrust of Gods mercy, then doubts and troubles of Conscience do; Mercy speaketh to them, and they do not think the message worth the hearing or regarding. Again, You wrong Grace by refusing it out of legal dejection, for by this means you straiten the riches, and darken the glory of it; as if there were not more in Grace then there is in sin; or as if an Emperors Revenue could not discharge a beggars debt: The Prodigal could say, there was bread enough in his fathers house: If we perish, 'tis not for want of mercy, but for want of faith: Grace is Gods treasure; he is rich in mercy, Ephes. 2. 4. As far as we straiten grace, we make him a poorer God. Again, We wrong Grace and Mercy by intercepting the glory of it: 'Tis the greatest sacrilege that can be, ⟨p. 87⟩to rob God of his Glory, especially of the glory of his Grace; for that's his great aim in all his transactions with man to make his Grace and Mercy glorious; see Ephes. 1. 6. Now when you think God accepteth you rather then others for some worth and good qualities that he seeth in you more then others; it may be in this light of the Gospel which we now enjoy such thoughts are not expressed, but