A89503:780
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.
AN EXPOSITION WITH NOTES On the EPISTLE of JUDE. › Verse 9 › Question and answer 4
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.
Do they provoke, revile, wrong us first? Answ. The railing and ill dealing of another, doth not dissolve the bond of our duty to God; to return injury for injury, is but to act over their sin; 'twas bad in them, and tis worse in us; for he that sinneth by example, sinneth doubly, as having had experience of the odiousness of it in another: Qui malum imitatur, bonus esse non potest: revenge and injury differ only in order of time, the one is first, the other second in the fault, and 'twas no excuse to Adam that he was not first in the transgression: Christianity teacheth us a rare way of overcoming injuries, not only by patience, but doing good to those that wrong us, Rom. 12. 17. and 1 Pet. 3. 9. render not reviling for reviling, but contrariwise blessing; we have for our pattern Christ, who being reviled, reviled not again, 1 Pet. 2. 23. and herein he was imitated by his Disciples, 1 Cor. 4. 13. [Greek or Hebrew], being defamed we entreat, a Motto which I would have prefixed to all rejoinders, or replies to a virulent opposition; Calvins modesty concerning Luther, is notable; Etiam•i me diabolum vocarit eum tamen insignem Dei ser•um agnoscam, Though he should call me Devil, yet God forbid but I should account him an eminent servant of Christ. 'Twas once an Argument for the truth of our Religion, that the Scriptures contained a Doctrine that could not be of men; as forbidding revenge, which is so sweet to nature, and commanding us to do good to them that hate us.
Do they provoke, revile, wrong us first? Answ. The railing and ill dealing of another, doth not dissolve the bond of our duty to God; to return injury for injury, is but to act over their sin; 'twas bad in them, and tis worse in us; for he that sinneth by example, sinneth doubly, as having had experience of the odiousness of it in another: Qui malum imitatur, bonus esse non potest: revenge and injury differ only in order of time, the one is first, the other second in the fault, and 'twas no excuse to Adam that he was not first in the transgression: Christianity teacheth us a rare way of overcoming injuries, not only by patience, but doing good to those that wrong us,