A89503:294
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.
3. The mercy of God appeareth in preserving it, that it may be delivered from one age to another. No Doctrine so ancient as the Doctrine of the Scriptures; it describeth the whole History of the World from the very Creation, and the original of all things: Where are there Records so ancient? ⟨p. 150⟩and yet they have been preserved even to our time. We have some ancient writings of the Heathens, though nothing so ancient as Scripture; but these are not contrary to mens lusts, and have been cherished by them, and yet they have felt the tooth of time, and are in a great measure mangled; but the Word of God hath been maligned and opposed, and yet it continueth, and holdeth up its head in the world: not only the main Doctrine of the Scriptures hath been continued, but no part of the Word hath been falsified, corrupted, destroyed: the world wanted not malice nor opportunity; the powers of the world have been bent against it, and corrupt persons in the Church have been always given to *other gospelling; but still the Scriptures have been wonderfully preserved, as the three children in the furnace, not an hair singed, not a jot and tittle of Truth perished.
4. That God doth continually stir up men in the Church, and bestow gifts upon them for the opening and application of this faith and doctrine of Salvation. Christ that hath given Prophets and Apostles to the Church to write Scripture, hath also given Pastors and Teachers to open and apply Scripture, that so still it might be delivered to the Saints, and also to vindicate the doctrine of it when opposed: Every age that hath yielded the Poison hath also yielded the Antidote, that the world might not be without a Witness; if there hath been an Arrius, there hath been an Athanasius; if a Pelagius, there is also an Austin; the Church hath never wanted help in this kind. Look as in War, as the Arts of Battery and methods of destruction do increase, so also doth skill in Fortification; and in the Church God still bestoweth gifts for the further explication of Truth.