A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

1. Are you not the better for the knowledge of it, if you are not the better, you are the worse; if you know Christ, and come short of the hour of his Grace, you know him in vain, you make Christ and the Gospel an useless thing, compare 2 Cor. 6. 1. with Col. 1. 6. there is a receiving the Grace of God in vain, and a knowing the grace of God in truth, we receive it in vain when we are nothing the better for it; and we receive it in truth when we feel the sweetness and power of it upon our hearts and consciences; those that know the grace in truth, are the more vigilant, more humble, more holy, they are more diligent for the grace of God hath a mighty constraint to urge us to duty, 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. more humble, nothing so melting as Grace, Zech. 12. 10. Unkindness after so much Grace as we have received in Christ is the great reason and cause of godly sorrow: More holy, nothing kindles such a rage and indignation against sin as Grace doth, Ezra 9. 14 Should we again after such a deliverance, &c. nothing persuadeth by such powerful arguments to the practice of holiness, as grace doth, See Tit. 2. 11. 12, 13, 14. Therefore what are you the better, if it worketh not thus 'tis sad.

1. Are you not the better for the knowledge of it, if you are not the better, you are the worse; if you know Christ, and come short of the houre of his Grace, you know him in vain, you make Christ and the Gospel an uselesse thing, compare 2 Cor. 6. 1. with Col. 1. 6. there is a receiving the Grace of God in vain, and a knowing the grace of God in truth, we receive it in vain when we are nothing the better for it; and we receive it in truth when we feel the sweetness and power of it upon our hearts and consciences; those that know the grace in truth, are the more vigilent, more humble, more holy, they are more diligent for the grace of God hath a mighty constraint to urge us to duty,