A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

MADAM,

`TIS a lovely Conjunction when Goodness and Greatness meet together: Persons of Estate and Respect in the world, have more temptations and hinderances than ⟨image 3⟩others, but greater obligations to own God; the great Landlord of the world expecteth a Rent from every Country-Cottage, but a large Revenue from great Houses: Now usually it falleth out so, that ^athey that hold the greatest Farms pay the least Rent; never is the Lord more neglected and dishonoured then in great mens Houses, in the very face of all his bounty; if Religion chance to get in there, it is soon worn out again; though vices live long in a family, and run in a blood from father to son, yet 'tis a rare case to see strictness of Religion carried on for three or four descents; 'twas the honour of Abraham's house, that from Father to Son for a long while, they were Heirs of the same Promise, Heb. 11. 9, but where is there such a succession to be found in the houses of our Gentry? ⟨image 3⟩The Father perchance professeth godliness (for [Greek or Hebrew], saith the Apostle,² not many noble, &c. there are a few, he doth not say there are none) and a carnal son cometh and turneth all out of doors, as if he were ashamed of his Fathers God: The Causes of this mischief may be supposed to be these. 1. Plenty ill-governed disposeth to vice and sin, as a rank soil is apt to breed weeds. 2. Brave Spirits (as the world counteth them) think ^cstrictness inglorious, and the power of Religion a base thing, that taketh off from their Grandeur and Esteem: a loose owning of Christianity is honourable, since the Kings of the earth have counted it one of the fairest flowers of their Crowns to be styled the Catholic King, the most Christian King, the Defender of the Faith, &c. But a true submission