Commentary on Jude, To the reader
The Epiſtle to the READER.
Good Reader,
THe people of God have ever been exerciſed with two ſorts of Enemies, Perſecutors and Sectaries: 'tis hard to ſay which is worſt; when the Chriſtian Church began firſt to look forth in the world, there were adverſe powers without ready to cruſh it, and Libertines who (like worms bred within the body) ſought to devour the entrails and eat out the very bowels of it: the firſt Ring-leader was Simon Magus, and there followed Menander Saturninus, Baſilides, Carpocrates, Cerinthus, Ebion, Cerdo, Marcion, Tatianus, Valentinus, and many others, who being once turned aſide from the truth and the fellowſhip of the faithfull, loſt all awe of God, and were given up to a ſottiſh judgment to believe all kinde of fables and fancies. The monſters of Africa came from the unnatural commixtures of the beaſts running wild in the deſarts; ſo when men had once broken through the hedg, mingling their own fancies with the Word of God by an unnatural production, they brought forth ſuch monſtrous and abſurd Opinions.
In ſucceeding ages the devil hath often plaid over the old game; ſometimes oppreſſing the Church by the tyranny of pſeudo-chriſtians, as many Martyrs being made by Antichriſtian, as Pagan, perſecutions, Revel. 14. 13. at other times corrupting the trueth by error, or rendring it ſuſpitious by the diviſions about it: hereſies revolve as faſhions, and in the courſe of a few years, antiquated errors revive again, and that by their means who did not ſo much as know them by name.
When God firſt called his people out of Babylon by Luthers reformation, and the Chriſtian religion began to be reſtored to its priſtine purity, there was not only a Roman party to perſecute, but a fanatical party to perplex the eſtate of reformation, and retard the courſe of the Goſpel, as hiſtories do abundantly declare, eſpecially Sleidan in his Commentaries.
What hath been our late experience, we all know, and have cauſe to bewail, aſſoon as wee were freed from our hard task-maſters, and a door of hope began to be opened to us, … ſwarm of libertines have ariſen among us, and do every day increaſe in number, power and malice, and under various forms oppugn the unqueſtionable intereſts of Ieſus Chriſt, to the great ſcandal of reformation and the ſadning of the hearts of the godly. We ſeem to be ripe for a judgment, but from what corner the ſtorm ſhall blow we cannot tell; ſome fear a return of Popery, and that a ſecond deluge of Antichriſtianiſme ſhall overwhelm the Weſtern Churches; the Papiſts (I confeſs▪ are dangerous, but the great and next fear I think to be from libertines and a yokeleſs generation of men who are most reproachful to religion and most troubleſom.
The ſpirit and drift of this Epiſtle is carried out mainly againſt this fanatical and libertine party; and therefore I ſuppoſe it to be a miſtake in Dr Willet, Mr Perkins and others, when they would turn the edg of it againſt the Papiſts, I confeſs they had a temptation that way, theſe being the only Heretical party with whom the Church of God was then in ſuit, and ſymbolizing in many things with thoſe of the other extream, as uſually darkneſſe and darkneſſe doth better agree than light and darkneſſe: but certainly the party deſcribed here are not a domineering faction, that carry things by power and greatneſſe and height of natural abilities, as the Papiſts do; but a creeping party, ſuch as by ſordid and clancular waies ſeek to undermine the truth, a kinde of mean and looſe ſort of people, that vented monſtrous and groſſe conceits, chiefly out of envy against thoſe that excelled in gifts and place; and if our modern Ranters, Familiſts, Quakers be not here deſcribed in their lively colours (as if the Apoſtle had lived to heare their blaſphemous expreſſions and that contempt which they caſt upon the Officers of the Church) I confeſſe then I understand nothing of the whole Epiſtle. If the Judicious Reader let alone the larger diſcuſſion of the obſervations, and go but over the explications of each verſe, hee will ſoon finde my obſervation true.
What I have done, through grace, to the clearer underſtanding of the Apoſtles ſcope, and the larger explanation of the common places here offered, I ſhall not mention, but leave to the Readers judgment: ſome will blame mee for being too large, and others in many places for being too ſhort; I ſhall only let the firſt ſort know, that in the larger explications of points of doctrine, I have rather ſatisfied the deſires of others, than followed my own judgment; who, when theſe things were firſt delivered (which was long ſince) in the way of ſhort notes, were willing to hear the points more largely debated, and ſo I went over them again in a Sermon-faſhion: if any blame mee for being too ſhort, let them know, that therein I have more ſatisfied my ſelf, as keeping to the Laws of an expoſitory exerciſe. I confeſs I am ſo conſcious to the many imperfections of this work, that the Reader had never been troubled with it, had it not been extorted from mee by ſuch importunity as I could not withſtand: eſpecially did I judg the publication needleſs, the Elaborate commentary of my Reverend Brother Mr William Jenkyns being already printed; but when I ſaw that wee went different waies in proſecuting the ſame truth, that objection ceaſed: ſeaſonable things muſt be often urged, and the variety of method maketh the repetition gratefull. I obſerve Gods providence in it, when divers men fall upon the ſame work, that in the mouth of two or three witneſſes every truth might be eſtabliſhed. Beza (I remember) perſwadeth Olevian to print his Meditations on the Galatians, though many excellent Writers had but lately and diligently explained that Epistle: Dr King, Dr Abbot and Dr Benefield all wrote upon Jonah and with approbation near about the ſame time. As much as my occaſions would permit me, I conſulted with my Reverend Brothers Book, and when I found any point at large diſcuſſed by him, I either omitted it, or mentioned it very briefly; ſo that his Labors will be neceſſary to ſupply the weakneſſes of mine. This work hath been long in the Preſs; and no wonder, the Authour lying under ſuch an oppreſſion of Buſineſs, it being carried on by ſnatches and ſpare hours; many faults have been occaſioned, whether by the obſcurity of the Copy, or the negligence of the Printer, I will not now determine: ſurely I have had to do with thoſe that learned how to make a pitcher in a tubb, or elſe they would never have ſo pitifully mangled the Greek and Latine ſentences, that in ſome places they are ſcarce intelligible. I have added the Errata in the end, which muſt be conſulted with, or elſe the Reader will hardly finde ſenſe, and in ſome places not true doctrine: the Tables I have collected with ſome diligence; the one of Scriptures, which are either vindicated or largely illuſtrated in this Commentary; the other of the principal matters, eſpecially the common places here diſcuſſed: if by all thou findeſt any help in the way of thy heavenly Calling, bleſs God, and forget not to put up one prayer for
The meaneſt of the Lords Servants, THO. MANTON.