A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

First, That the practice of wicked men now, and the practice of ¹wicked men from the beginning, is still the same^*: Cains Club (as Bucholcer speaketh) is still. carried about in the world stained with the blood of Abel, see Gal. 4. 29. But as then, he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so 'tis now: So 'twas then, so 'tis now, so it will be while the spirit of the Devil worketh in the world; we have the same original sin which they had in former times for a long time a disease runneth in the blood, and is continued in a line and family; but after some generations 'tis worn out; but this filth will still run as long as there is a channel of carnal generation to convey it: Again, we have the same Devil to tempt us, who ever is converted, he will ⟨p. 402⟩never turn Christian to be sure; and there are the same provocations and occasions to exasperate mens corruptions: Well then, let us not be over troubled, there is no new thing under the Sun; the same Devil that rageth now, hath been a murderer from the beginning, John 8. 44. The same Devil that deceiveth now, was a liar from the beginning: are there those now that separate from all Churches of Christ? there were Donatists in former time, are there now that deny the God-Head of Christ? There were Arians then, are there now Ranters, Familists? and there were Gnostics then, are there bloody enemies of the truth? every Age can yield its Cains: Again, if we would better know the state of our times, let us blow off the dust from our old presidents; the Devil doth but play over the old game, and though the Scene be shifted and furnished with new Actors, the Plot is the same.

First, That the practice of wicked men now, and the practice of ¹wicked men from the beginning, is still the same^*: Cains Club (as Bucholcer speaketh) is still. carryed about in the world stained with the blood of Abel, see