A89503:94
A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude
A practical commentary, or An exposition with notes on the Epistle of Jude. Delivered (for the most part) in sundry weekly lectures at Stoke-Newington in Middlesex. By Thomas Manton, B.D. and minister of Covent-Garden.
London: printed by J.M. for Luke Fawn, 1658
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. The next thing is *restraining grace, which is nothing else but an awe upon the Conscience, inclining men to forbear sin, though they do not hate it. Now you may discern it, partly because love is of little use and force with such kind of spirits; they are chained up by their own fears: The great Evangelic motive is mercy; Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God: The heart is most ingenuous when it yieldeth to such entreaties: It is good to serve God with reverence, but a servile awe hath little of grace in it. It is true indeed, it is better to have a slavish fear then none at all; therefore David saith to them that would be held in with no other restraints, Psal. 4. 4. Stand in awe, and sin not: to cool and charm their fury he maketh use of the argument of Gods vengeance; though this is also the fault of slavish spirits, that carnal respects and thoughts of outward inconvenience do equally sway them, as a servile fear of Gods Judgments. Again, you may know it, because it doth not destroy sin, but only prohibit the exercise of it: Abimelechs lust was not quenched, yet God withheld him from sinning against Sarah, Gen. 20. 6. The heart is not renewed, though the action be checked; as Israel had an adulterous heart towards God, when her way was hedged up with thorns, Hosea 2. 6. Again, it is their trouble that they are held in the stocks of Conscience; they would fain be enlarged, and find out their own paths.
3. The next thing is *restraining grace, which is nothing else but an awe upon the Conscience, inclining men to forbear sin, though they do not hate it. Now you may discern it, partly because love is of little use and force with such kind of spirits; they are chained up by their own fears: The great Evangelick motive is mercy; Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God: The heart is most ingenuous when it yeildeth to such intreaties: It is good to serve God with reverence, but a servile awe hath little of grace in it. It is true indeed, it is better to have a slavish fear then none at all; therefore David saith to them that would be held in with no other restraints,