A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

In the use of pleasures and outward comforts there should ¹be much caution. When Jobs sons feasted, he falleth to sacrifice, l•st they should have sinned against God, Job 1. 5. 'Tis good to be jealous of our selves with an holy jealousy, lest unawares we meet with a snare in our Cup, or Dish: At a feast there are more guests then are invited, evil spirits haunt such meetings, they watch to surprise us in and by the creature, and therefore we should watch, especially if we be given to appetite, then put a knife to thy throat, as Solomon saith, that which is sweet to the palate, may wound the souls, and gluttony may creep upon good men before they are aware, as Austin confesseth, that he was far from drunkenness but crapula nonnunquam surrepit servo •uo; sometimes he would eat too much, but (saith he) Lord thou hast now taught me to use my meat as my medicine, to repair nature, not to oppress it; an holy course, and to be imitated: Christians you may think it needless that we should ⟨p. 414⟩speak to you about your meat and drink, as if the light of Conscience were pregnant and active enough to warn you in such cases: Oh! but you cannot be too cautious the throat is a slippery place, and a sin may get down ere you are aware: Christ did not think it needless to warn his own disciples of excess, Luke 21. 34. Take heed to your selves, lest ye be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, &c.

In the use of pleasures and outward comforts there should ¹be much caution. When Jobs sons feasted, he falleth to sacrifice, l•st they should have sinned against God, Job 1. 5. 'Tis good to be jealous of our selves with an holy jealousie, lest unawares we meet with a snare in our Cup, or Dish: At a feast there are more guests then are invited, evil spirits haunt such meetings, they watch to surprize us in and by the creature, and therefore we should watch, especially if we be given to appetite, then put a knife to thy tbroat, as Solomon saith, that which is sweet to the palate, may wound the souls, and gluttony may creep upon good men before they are aware, as Austin confesseth, that he was far from drunkenness but crapula nonnunquam surrepit servo uo; somtimes he would eat too much, but (saith he) Lord thou hast now taught me to use my meat as my medicine, to repair nature, not to oppress it; an holy course, and to be imitated: Christians you may think it needless that we should