A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

Again, Answerable practises make us partakers of their guilt, and therefore involve us in their punishment• Imitation is an evidence of approbation; A man may have more sins charged upon him then those committed in his own person; you are partakers of their evil deeds that lived before you, if you do as they did; it may be the memory of those that formerly fell under the weight of Gods displeasure is execrable to you, yet your walking in the same course is a sign that you like their practises, and therefore you must expect their judgements with advantage and usury▪ Matth. 23. 35. That upon you may come all the righteous blood that was shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachia•; whom ye slew between the Temple and the Altar. Why upon them? And how did they slay him? No doubt the memory of Cum was accursed among the Jews, but they walked in the way of Cain, and so were to receive Cain's judgement with advantage; No doubt the memory of the murderers of Zechariah the Prophet was hateful to them, but they continued Prophet-killing, and Prophet-hunting; and therefore did implicitly approve his murder, and so are said to slay him: Jude 1•. 'tis said, These perished in the gain saying of Koran ▪ How can that be, when they were not as yet born? These Seducers lived long after, but following them in their sin, in their ruin they had a sure pledge of their own destruction: when we see others fall into a deep pit, and yet will adventure the same way, as we sin the worse, so our judgement will be the greater.

Again, Answerable practises make us partakers of their guilt, and therefore involve us in their punishment• Imitation is an evidence of approbation; A man may have more sins charged upon him then those committed in his own person; you are partakers of their evil deeds that lived before you, if you do as they did; it may be the memory of those that formerly fell under the weight of Gods displeasure is execrable to you, yet your walking in the same course is a signe that you like their practises, and therefore you must expect their judgements with advantage and usury