A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

What use shall we make of this? I answer, 1. It hinteth public care, that we should help salvation forwards, both in our selves and others; rejoice in others faith as well as in your own. Rom. 1. 12. Comforted by the mutual faith of you and me. His faith was a comfort to them, and their faith a comfort to him; nay out of an excess of love and charity, Paul useth an expression not imitable, Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that I were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh.

What use shall we make of this? I answer, 1. It hinteth publick care, that we should help salvation forwards, both in our selves and others; rejoyce in others faith as well as in your own. Rom. 1. 12. Comforted by the mutual faith of you and me. His faith was a comfort to them, and their faith a comfort to him; nay out of an excess of love and charity, Paul useth an expression not imitable, Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that I were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh.

2. It checketh the impropriating of Grace and Religion, to such an order or sort of Christians, such as was the ambition of former times, as if all religion were confined within a cloister, or wrapped up in a black garment; those were called religious houses, and those the Clergy, or God▪ portion, all other were Lay, and Secular. Oh how far was this from the modesty of the Apostles! Peter calleth the faith of common Christians, like precious faith; and Jude speaketh of a Common Salvation. So the Jews before them, they confined Gods choice to their Nation, they could not endure to hear of salvation among the Gentiles, and of a righteousness that came to all, and upon all that believe: we have an envious ⟨p. 140⟩