A89503:658
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.
2. The next notion is that of the Text fire, or the wrath of God transacted upon them. In the sufferings of the damned God hath an immediate hand, H•b. 10. 33. no creature is strong enough to convey all his wrath; in being this wrath the capacity of the creature is enlarged ⟨p. 332⟩to the uttermost; and in their punishment God sets himself a work to show the glory of his strength, Rom. 9. 22. he with-holdeth the Creature with one hand, and punisheth it with the other: If his anger be but kindled a little, and a spark of it fly into the conscience, the poor Creature is at his wits end: but how dreadful will their portion be, against whom *he stirreth up all his wrath? the humane nature of the Lord Christ in a just abhorrency recoiled when he was to taste of this cup: we that cannot endure the gripes of the Colic, the torment of the Stone, the pain of the Rack, how shall we dwell with devouring burnings? and all this is for ever. As our Obligations to God are infinite, and as we turn back upon eternal happiness offered in the Gospel, used as the Majesty offended by sin is infinite, so that we cannot restore the honour to God which we have taken away. Therefore by just reason is our punishment eternal. In the other World men are in their final estate; the fuel continueth for ever, the Creature is not abolished, and the fire continueth for ever, the breath of the living Lord still keepeth the flame burning We think a Prayer long, a Sermon long; what will Hell be? In the night if we cannot sleep, we count the hours, and every minute seems tedious. Oh what will they do that are tormented night and day for ever and ever? Rev. 20. 10▪ Now this is the portion of all that forget God; Oh who would run this hazard for a little temporal satisfaction? the scourges of conscience that we meet with here, are too great price for the short pleasures of a brutish lust, much more the Worm that never dyeth, the Fire that shall never be quenched.
2. The next notion is that of the Text fire, or the wrath of God transacted upon them. In the sufferings of the damned God hath an immediate hand, Hb. 10. 33. no creature is strong enough to convey all his wrath; in being this wrath the capacity of the creature is enlarged