A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

Feeding themselves without fear,] [Greek or Hebrew], feeding themselves as a Shepherd doth his sheep; it noteth their excess, eating beyond all measure, and without respect to that communion that should be among Saints: they fed themselves, not others; their own bodies, not others souls, Ezek. 34. 2, 3. Ye feed your selves, but the flocks have ye not fed. Whence note,

Feeding themselves without fear,] 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, feeding themselves as a Shepherd doth his sheep; it noteth their excess, eating beyond all measure, and without respect to that communion that should be among Saints: they fed themselves, not others; their own bodies, not others souls, Ezek. 34. 2, 3. Ye feed your selves, but the flocks have ye not fed. Whence note,

That at our Meetings and Feasts we should have respect to ¹Christian communion; Not only take in meats, but give out gracious discourses and instructions: Christ when he sate at meat, raiseth their thoughts to a better Banquet, Luke 14. 15. Blessed is he that shall •at bread in the Kingdom of God: when the body is fed, let not the soul be neglected; the word of God is [Greek or Hebrew], the food of souls, it should not be wholly banished from our Tables, at every meal, the devil usually bringeth his dish, when our hearts are warmed with the use of the creature, he setteth our corruptions a working, and we are ready to censure, or to brawl, or jest in an unseemly manner; 'tis but reason that Christ should set his dish upon our Tables also; and it being a solemn time of coming together, we should take occasion to quicken each other to the love of God, and an affectionate remembrance of our Creator, by whose bounty we enjoy what is set before us, that the spiritual appetite may be refreshed as well as the bodily.