A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

The first is [Trees whos• fruit withereth] let us first look to the Grammatical interpretation of these words, and then the sense and accommodation of them: [Greek or Hebrew], the vulgar readeth bores Autumnales^*, in Autumn things begin to decay and Trees loose both fruit and leaves, and so would some explain it like trees that loose their leaves in Harvest time, and bring forth no fruit: some go another way making it an allusion to a particular experiment of young plants, who if they flower at Autumn, husbandmen take it for a sure sign that they will dye: But similitudes are taken from things usual and known; I suppose therefore the Apostle useth the word in its native and original signification, 'tis derived [Greek or Hebrew], from corrupting fruits, and the mean[…]g is, they bring forth no fruit but what is rotten and withered; and so 'tis applied to these seducers, whose lives were not full of good fruits; they pretend much, but what fruits do you find? more Holiness, true Mortification, Strictness, Piety to God, or Equity and Mercy to men? nay rather all manner of brutishness disobedience to civil powers, neglect of God, abuse of Gospel, contempt of their Betters, &c.

The first is [Trees whos• fruit withereth] let us first look to the Grmatical interp•etation of these words, and then the sense and accomodat•on of them: 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, the vulgar readeth •bores Autumnales^*, in Autum things begin to decay and Trees loose both fruit and leaves, and so would some explain it like trees that loose their leaves in Harvest time, and bring forth no fruit: some go another way making it an allusion to a particular experiment of young plants, who if they flowre at Autumne, husbandmen take it for a sure sign that they will dye: But simi•itudes are taken from things usual and known; I suppose therefore the Apostle useth the word in its native and original signif•cation, 'tis derived , from corrupting fruits, and the meang is, they bring forth no fruit but what is rotten and withered; and so 'tis applyed to these seducers, whose lives were not full of good fruits; they pretend much, but what fruits do you find? more Holiness, true Mortification, Strictness, Piety to God, or Equity and Mercy to men? nay rather all manner of bruitishness disobedience to civil powers, neglect of God, abuse of Gospel, contempt of their Betters, &c.