A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

like bad salt, that loseth of its acrimony and smartness every day till it be cast to the dunghill: But now true grace, from a grain it groweth into a tree, Matth. 13. from a morning glimpse to a perfect noon, Prov. 4. 18. from smoking flax it is blown up into a flame: The least meal in the Barrel, and oil in the Cruse, when it is fed with a supply from Heaven, shall prosper into abundance: Nicodemus that at first came to Christ by night, after boldly declareth himself for him, John 19. 30. Grace gets ground upon the flesh, and holiness by degrees advanceth into a triumph; Examine then whether you increase or decrease: if you go backward, from zeal to coldness, from strictness to looseness; if you lose you care of duty, and choiceness of spirit, and there be no complaining, it is a sign grace was never wrought in truth. Once more, False grace is not accompanied with humility: When men the more they profess, the prouder they grow and more self-conceited, there is cause of suspicion: With true grace there always goeth along a spiritual poverty, or a sense of our spiritual wants; the more knowledge, the more they discern their ignorance, compare 1 Cor. 8. 2. with Prov. 30. 2, 3. the more faith, the more they bewail unbelief, and see a need of increase and further growth: Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe, ⟨p. 44⟩help mine unbelief. Oh I want faith, what shall I do! still I am haunted with prejudicial and lessening thoughts of Gods all-sufficiency and goodness. It is excellent when the Soul is thus kept hungry and humble under our enjoyments, and we ^*forget the things that are behind, because the things that are before us, or not yet attained, are much more.

like bad salt, that loseth of its acrimony and smartness every day till it be cast to the dunghil: But now true grace, from a grain it groweth into a tree,