A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

1. When your hearts storm, look back, there were inconveniences in the wilderness, but a sore bondage in Egypt; a good memory is an help to thankfulness, for my own case, when I am brimful, I consider the times that are past ^*when there was no peace to him that w•nt out or came in, when private meetings were a conventicle, and in public we could only sigh, not speak; when May poles and carnal sports were preferred before the Sabbath, when afternoon Preaching was supperest to make way for those sports; when 'twas a crime to go from a doting service-Reader to hear the Preaching of the word; surely they that are so ready to return into Egypt, have forgotten their bondage; when their cry came up to God because of the anguish of their souls; our hard task-Masters, the domineering Prelates, and their oppressing filthy Courts are forgotten, our promiscuous communions, and the flat and cold repetitions of an imposed liturgy quite forgotten; so the confinement of Preaching, and the restraint of Doctrines; these things are out of feeling, and therefore out of remembrance: one great defect the people of God are troubled withal, is a bad memory, Mich. 6. 5. Oh my people remember, &c. I tell you if we did but remember how we were Prelate-bitten, we would not murmur, but give thanks.

1. When your hearts storm, look back, there were inconveniences in the wilderness, but a sore bondage in Egypt; a good memory is an help to thankfulness, for my owne case, when I am brimfull, I consider the times that are past ^*when there was no peace to him that w•nt out or came in, when private meetings were a conventicle, and in publick we could only sigh, not speak; when May poles and carnal sports were preferred before the Sabbath, when afternoon Preaching was supprest to make way for those sports; when 'twas a crime to go from a doa•ing service-Reader to hear the Preaching of the word; surely they that are so ready to return into Egypt, have forgotten their bondage; when their cry came up to God because of the anguish of their souls; our hard task-Masters, the domineering Prelates, and their oppressing filthy Courts are forgotten, our promiscuous communions, and the flat and cold repetitions of an imposed liturgy quite forgotten; so the confinement of Preaching, and the restraint of Doctrines; these things are out of feeling, and therefore out of remembrance: one great defect the people of God are troubled withal, is a bad memory,