A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

2. New Ends: here indeed the discovery is most sensible; Principles are more hidden, and discovered mostly by ends; Now the only end must be Gods glory: All that is done in the spiritual life, be it an act of piety, justice, temperance or charity, it must be done with this aim, that God may be glorified by our obedience to his Will▪ I owe this duty to God, and I must do it for Gods sake; be it a duty ⟨p. 33⟩of worship, or in your civil relation and traffic, as if I pray, the last end of prayer must be Gods glory, whither I seek grace and pardon, or the conveniences and supports of the present life: Grace still sublimateth the intention of the creature, therefore carnal men are taxed for praying out of self-interests; Hosea 7. 14. They have not cried unto me when they howled upon their beds; they assemble themselves for corn, and wine, and oil: It is but a brutish cry, when men seek only their own commodity and welfare; as beasts will howl when they are sensible of any smart and injury; dogs or any brute beasts may do the same, there is no act of grace in it. So in charity, many men make it a kind of bargain and traffic, they do it to be seen of men, Mat. 6. 2. to gratify their worldly interests, not to please God or honour God, for their credit and repute, to be well thought of; and there Christ saith, [Greek or Hebrew], that is, they have that which they look for; for other things they give God a discharge and acquittance. Briefly, the aims of men not regenerate or sanctified, are either carnal, or natural, or legal. 1. Carnal, when men make a market of Religion, their worship, righteousness and charity is set to sale, and by a vile submission made to stoop to their own private interests; as the Pharisees made long prayers to devour widows houses, that is, to beget a fame and repute of honesty, that they might be entrusted with the management of their estates: So some may pray to show parts, preach out of envy, and to rival others in esteem, Phil. 1. 15. Often is this vile scorn put upon God, that his worship is made a cover and pretence to unclean intents; which is▪ as if a cup of gold made for a King to drink of, should be filled with excrements; or as if we did set up another god beside him; for that which we make our utmost end, we make it our God: as false Teachers are said to make their belly their God,