A89503:328
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.
Just so when the Church keep a straight hand, hypocrites dare not join, but sound Believers will the sooner, and then the Church though it be a lesser body, 'tis more sound, healthy and active. But what Rule must we go by? we must go by outward and general profession: I answer, This place will give us some direction; as far as we can discern men, so far may we judg of them; for the entrance of these men is here declared to be clancular and surreptitious; if the Church had known them, or looked to them so warily as it should, the mischief had been prevented. *Bellarmine himself confesseth, That the intention of the Church is only to gather Believers into a Body, and if it knew the wicked and unbelieving, it would either not admit them, or being admitted by chance, it would cast them out. 'Tis good to be strict, lest by promiscuous admissions we bring in such a mischief to the Church as we cannot easily get rid of.
Just so when the Church keep a streight hand, hypocrites dare not joyn, but sound Beleevers will the sooner, and then the Church though it be a lesser body, 'tis more sound, healthy and active. But what Rule must we go by? we must go by outward and general profession: I answer, This place will give us some direction; as far as we can discern men, so far may we judg of them; for the entrance of these men is here declared to be clancular and surreptitious; if the Church had known them, or looked to them so warily as it should, the mischief had been prevented. *Bellarmine himself confesseth, That the intention of the Church is only to gather Believers into a Body, and if it knew the wicked and unbeleeving, it would either not admit them, or being admitted by chance, it would cast them out. 'Tis good to be strict, lest by promiscuous admissions we bring in such a mischief to the Church as we cannot easily get rid of.
- *Ecclesia exintentione fideles tantum colligi•, & si nosset impios & incredulos eos aut nunquam admitteret aut casu admissos excluderet. Bellar. de Ecclesiae, c. 10. Observat. 2.