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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	church_n	doctrine_n	true_a	4,526	5	5.2474	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87554	An exposition of the Epistle of Jude, together with many large and useful deductions. Lately delivered in XL lectures in Christ-Church London, by William Jenkyn, Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The first part.	Jenkyn, William, 1613-1685.	1652 (1652)	Wing J639; Thomason E695_1; ESTC R37933	518,527	654

Christ Gal. 1.23 He now preacheth the faith which before he persecuted So 1 Tim. 4.16 Gal. 3.2 So here in this place of Jude Faith once delivered is to be understood of the faith of heavenly doctrine the word of faith which the Apostle saith God had delivered to them and they were to maintain against the opposite errours of seducers This holy doctrine being called faith 1. Because it is the instrument used by God to work faith The Spirit by the word perswading us to assent to the whole doctrine of the Gospel and to rest upon Christ in the promise for life In which respect faith is said to come by hearing Rom. 10.15 And the Gospel the power of God Rom. 1.16 c. to every one that believes The faith to be believed begets a faith believing 2. Because it is a most sure infallible faithfull word and deserves to be the object of our faith and belief The Author of it was the holy and true Rev. 3.7.14 Tit. 1.2 2 Pet. 1.2 the faithful and true Witnesse God who cannot lie The Instruments were infallibly guided by the immediate derection and assistance of the holy Ghost The Matter of it an everlasting truth the Law being a constant rule of righteousnesse the Gospel conteining promises which shall have their stability when heaven and earth shall passe away and of such certainty that if an angel from heaven should teach another doctrine he must be accursed It abounds also with prophesies predictions most exactly accomplished though after hundreds yea thousands of years The form of it which is its conformity with God himself sheweth that if God be faithfull Heb. 4.12 Psal 19.7 9. needs must his word be so its powerfull it searcheth the heart its pure and perfect true and faithfull and all this in conformity with the power omniscience purity perfection truth of God himself The end of it is to supply us with assured comfort Rom. 15.4 Observ 1. 1. The word of life is most worthy of assent and approbation No word so much challengeth belief as Gods it 's so true and worthy of belief that it 's called faith it self When in Scripture the object is called by the name of the habit or affection it notes that the object is very proper for that habit or affection to be exercised about Heaven is in Scripture called joy to shew it 's much to be rejoyced in and the Doctrine of salvation is called faith to shew that its most worthy of our faith Infidelity is a most inexcusable and incongruous sin in us Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.18 Isa 53.1 when the faithfull and true God speaks unto us It 's impossible for God to lie and yet Who hath beleeved our report may be a complaint as ordinary as it is old How just is God to give those over to beleeve a lie who will not beleeve the truh How miserable is their folly who beleeve a lie and distrust faith it self 2. Observ 2. Deplorable is their estate who want the doctrine of salvation They have no footing for faith they have they hear nothing that they can beleeve Uncertainty of happiness is ever the portion of a people who are destitute of the Word He who wants this light knows not whither he goeth The Fancy of the Enthusiast the Reason of the Socinian the Traditions of the Papist the Oracles of the Heathens are all Foundations of sand death shakes and overturns them all 3. Observ 3. The true reason of the firmnesse and stedfastnesse of the Saints in their profession they lean upon a sure word Spiritus sanctus non est Scepticus ne● opiniones in cordibus sed assertiones producit ipsâ vit â omni experientiâ certiores a more sure word than any revelation a word called even faith it self Greater is the certainty of Faith then that of Sense and Reason It 's not Opinion and Scepticism but Faith The holy Ghost is no Sceptick it works in us not opinions but assertions more sure than life it self and all experience The more weight and dependency we set upon the word so firm a foundation is it the stronger is the building None will distrust God but they who never tryed him 4. Our great end in attending upon the word should be the furthering of our faith The jewel of the Word should not hang in our ears but be lock'd up in a beleeving heart 'T is not meat on the table but in the stomack that nourisheth and not the Word preached but beleeved that saves us The Apostle having specified the thing which they were to maintain Faith he amplifieth it and that three wayes 1. Explicat 2. He saith it was delivered The word in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated delivered signifieth to be given or delivered from one to another severall wayes in Scripture according to the circumstances of the place where and the matter about which 't is used Sometime it importeth a delivering craftily deceitfully or traiterously in which respect the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often rendred to betray as Matth. 2.4.10 and Chap. 26 15 16 21 23 24 25. and Chap. 16.45 46 48. In some places it signifieth a delivering in a way of punishment and suffering As Mat. 4.12 Jesus heard that John was delivered up So Mat. 5.25 and 10.17.19.21 and 17.22 and Acts 7.42 c. In other places it signifieth a delivering in a way of committing something to ones trust to be carefully regarded and preserved as Mat. 11.27 and 25.14 20. and John 19.20 and 1 Pet. 2.23 And thus it frequently signifieth a delivering by way of information or relation of doctrines and duties from one to another to be kept and observed And that both from God first by the speech and afterward by the writing of holy men for the use of his Church as 1 Cor. 11.2 2 Thes 2.15 and 3.6 2 Pet. 2.21 and also from men who often deliver doctrines to others not written in the word Mat. 15.2 Mark 7.9.13 but invented by men In this sense the delivering here mentioned is to be taken namely for such an information or relation of Gods will as they to whom it is delivered are bound to preserve and keep as their treasure In which respect the delivering of this faith or doctrine of salvation comprehends first Gods bestowing it secondly Mans holding and keeping it 1. Gods bestowing it and in that is considerable 1. In what wayes and after what manner God delivered it 2. What need there was of this delivery of the faith by God 1. In what wayes God delivered the faith the Scripture tels us he hath delivered it either extraordinarily Num. 12.6.8 Heb. 1.1 as immediately by himselfe by Angels by a voice by a sensible apparition to men sometime when they were awake at other times when they were sleeping by dreams sometime only by inward inspiration Or ordinarily and so he delivers the doctrine of faith 1. To his

ibi desinis esse bonus Bern. Ep. 91. Nolle preficere deficere est Ep. 254. he that hath least grace hath enough to be thankfull but he that hath the most hath not enough to be idle We are never gotten far enough till we are gotten home he that is rich enough is nothing worth He was never good that desireth not to be better he is stark nought that desireth not to be as good as the best 10. Lastly the Apostle desireth the multiplication of grace even to the sense feeling and apprehension of those that were partakers thereof that those who had grace might know they had it The people of God do not ever know their own holinesse and happinesse these are true though not strong in grace The perceiving of our grace is an additionall happiness to our receiving it In the light of God we must see light It 's a double and a very desirable blessing to have the company and comfort of grace at the same time This of the first branch of Explication What the Apostle desired for these Christians when he pray'd for this multiplication The second followeth which was to consider Why he desired it 2d Branch of Explicat This he did 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of Others 3. In respect of Themselves 4. In respect of Himself 1. In respect of God The more grace is multiplyed the more God is 1. Honoured Mat. 5.16 Joh. 15.8 2 Cor. 4.15 Phil. 1.11 Herein is my Father honoured if ye bring forth much fruit If the servants of God do much work God will be accounted a good a bountifull Master 1. In respect of the great reward men will think there is in his service and some extraordinary benifit by it that his servants are so painfull in it And 2. In respect of the great ability that he bestows upon his to be and do good God will be admired in them that beleeve If poor servants are so rich and glorious Aestimari a Cultoribus potest ille qui Colitur Salv. what then will men say is the Master if his servants be so holy what then is he who keeps them if there be so much in a drop what is there then in the ocean if he imparts so much to others what then hath he in himself The plenty of the crop is the praise of the husbandman Luk. 15.7 Chrysostomus cxistimat glorificationem hìc poni pro exultatione Gerh. in Joh. 15.8 2. As God is honoured by the abounding of his servants in holiness so is he likewise pleased Fruitfulness upon earth is joy in heaven The Husbandman is not only praised but pleased by the fruitfulness of his grounds the barrenness whereof is both his shame and his sorrow The thriving of the child is the joy of the father If we rejoyce so much in holinesse that see it and love it so little Isai 5.6 what then must God do who is holinesse it selfe How angry was God with his barren vineyard If God be best pleased with holinesse he must needs be best pleased with them who are most holy 2. The Apostle desired this multiplication of grace in respect of Others that they may not only speak good of God but get good to themselves The whole Countrey fareth the better for a rich Christian he keepeth open house the more he hath the more he gives he labours to make all such as himselfe Acts 26.29 his bonds onely excepted Ther 's nothing more covetous or prodigall than grace A Saint ever loves to be receiving from God and imparting to others From Jerusalem round about to Illyricum Paul preached the Gospell Rom. 15.19 2 Cor. 6.10 He who was so abundantly rich himselfe made it his work to make others so What an encouragement is it to young beginners in grace to see that they who once were as poor and had as little to begin with as themselves have attained to such a plentifull spirituall estate What a joy is it to the strong Christian whose love of complacency is ●set upon the excellent Ones and whose Crown of Rejoycing it is to see the Honour of God propagated 3. The Apostle desired this Multiplication of grace in respect of Themselves and that 1. In respect of their duty they could never be too abundant in goodnesse for him from whom they were and had and did what ever was good How could God dwell too much in the house of his own building How could the Vineyard and Garden of his own planting be too fruitfull the Well of his own digging be too full In their creation they received souls bodies faculties senses with parts and members from him in him also they lived and moved and had their being and could they do him too much service In their redemption the delivery not onely from condemnation but from vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 and from the service and corruption of sin was aimed at by God and not only a preservation of them to Heaven but in holinesse In their profession they were Christians and followers of Christ And how could they walk too exactly that had such a guide They had in the word precepts promises threatnings examples and how could they be too precise that had such a rule 2. For their dignity Holinesse is a Christians greatest honour and therefore the greatest degree of holinesse the highest degree of honour Grace is called glory 2 Cor. 3.18 and the more grace the more glory It 's that which hath the most of Scripture-commendation What an honourable mention doth Paul make of the Romans for having their faith spoken of throughout the world Rom. 1.8 Our Saviour Mat. 8.10 15.28 that contemned the glorious buildings of the Temple when his Disciples shewed him them admired a strong faith more than once 3. For their further peace and comfort in this life There 's no abundance but that of grace which can content the possessour the more holinesse the more enjoyment of him in whose presence is fulnesse of joy Whence is a Saints trouble but from the deficiency of his graces what is it that pincheth him but the scantinesse of these spirituall garments the larger they are the greater is his ease He that hath true grace may go to Heaven certainly but he who hath strong grace onely goeth comfortably A weak faith a small degree of love patience humility will not carry a man joyfully through great troubles 4. For their future crown further felicity in the next life If any shall follow the lamb in whiter larger robes of glory than other they are those whom he hath adorned most with the robes of grace here If any shine brighter than others in heaven they shall be those who have been brightest in grace upon the earth Though glory be not bestowed for any merit in grace yet I see no inconvenience to hold that 't is bestowed according to the proportion of grace If the more grace a Saint hath

not charity is as sounding brasse and a tinkling cymball though he have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and hath all faith though he bestow all his goods to feed the poor nay though he give his body to be burnt 1 Cor. 13. and have not charity he is nothing God will not reward Ministers according to what they have done but according to what they have done in loving to do Love is the marrow the soul of every service All performances without love are but cyphers without a figure in Gods account they stand for nothing they are sacrifices without fire 3. People should study to be fit for the love of their Pastor Observ 3. To encourage him to love them to be diligibiles such as these Christians were whom the Apostle called beloved A painfull Minister should not only be put upon loving his people by conscience of this duty but by encouragement to this duty Ministers are often wrongfully complain'd of for want of love All kind of love must not be afforded to all kind of people a love of intimacy and complacency must only be set upon the godly among his people If a faithfull Minister be not such to his offensive unprofitable hearer as he would 't is because this man is not such to God and his own soul as he should How unworthy a part in any is it to make a faithfull Minister spend that time in weeping complaining reproving which he had much rather spend in sweet complacency familiarity and commendation 4. The love of a Minister must not be slack and remiss Observ 4. but vehement and ardent Ministers are to imitate him in love whose love was the most earnest who was the chiefe Shepherd and had the chiefest care of his flock who purchased it with his own bloud Act. 20.28 who was nothing but love cover'd over with our flesh As he was the President of Ministers love so gave he earnest and frequent precepts to Ministers to testifie this love John 21.15 Love alone can facilitate the difficulties of a Ministers calling Many things must be born as the hatred frowardnesse dulnesse weaknesse of people There must ubera be given though verbera be returned Ministri proferant ubera non verbera Bern. the brest must give its milk though it be struck at Sometimes lawfull liberties must be forborn A Minister must be like indulgent Mothers or Nurses who forbear to eat such meats as they love for fear of hurting the child which they are breeding or giving suck to Paul was such an one who rather then he would offend a weak brother would eat no flesh while he lived A Minister must be lowly in doctrine and life patient laborious and nothing but love can make him be so Every thing will be difficult to him that loves not The object of a Ministers love is the soul the heaven-born soul the precious eternall soul What would it profit a Minister to gain the whole world and lose his peoples souls The beast the name the body of a man must be beloved much more his soul The winning of souls is the wisdome of a Minister Gen. 14.21 A Minister should say of his ease profit and pleasure as the King of Sodom to Abraham Give me the souls and take the goods to thy selfe 5. Observ 5. The Loving of a Ministers person hath a great influence upon the loving of his doctrine The Apostle knew this when he desired that these Christians should know that he loved them It 's the folly of people not to love the word who ever be the speaker The message hath not its commendation from the messenger but the messenger from the message Yet rare is it to finde that Christian who thinks well of that counsell which is given him by a Counseller who is not beloved and therfore it is Satans policy to asperse the Minister thereby to cause a dislike of his Ministry And great is their sin who by their un-amiable carriage often make their Ministry abhorred who either by prophanenesse or unfit austerity confute with their life what they perswade with their lip Some offend by prophanenesse preaching perhaps so holily in the pulpit as some may almost think it pity they should ever come out of it yet when they are out of it shewing so much levity sloth worldlinesse loosenesse as any would almost think it pity they should ever go into it Others offend by unmeet morosity not considering that a Minister must neither be all bait without hook nor all hook without bait as he must not by his flattery sooth so neither by austerity affright his people A Minister must not be a flashing Comet but an influentiall Star not a Storm or a Tempest but a sweetly dropping bedewing Cloud 6. The aim of a Minister in being beloved of his people Observ 6. should be the benefiting of their souls The Apostle desires to be beloved by these Christians that he might have the greater opportunity to further their salvation He robs Christ who improves not the interest he hath in the hearts of his people for the honour of Christ 'T is not service but sacriledge to desire the terminating of peoples loves in our selves It 's better could it be without sinne that all should hate us than that they should love us for our selves for if all should hate us we should have but what is our own if they should love us for our selves we should usurp what is Christs A Ministers designe in being beloved by his people should be but to raise up seed to his elder brother all his services must be but scaffolds to erect a building of glory to Christ Ministers should labour to be good for their own benefit and to be accounted good for the benefit of others They should not do good to get a good name but they should labour for a good name that they may be the more able to do good 7. The love of a Minister to his people Obser 7. should procure love again from his people The Apostle in professing of love to these Christians expected that they should love him again Love must be the eccho of love It 's often seen that they who love their people most are beloved of them least In a spirituall sense 't is likewise true that love descends more than it ascends And ordinarily beggary or at least poverty is all the requitall which is returned for the Jewell of Plain-dealing People love not an eradicative but a palliative cure of their spirituall distempers Spirituall flatterers are commonly more respected than spirituall fathers People and their lusts are so near together that a godly Minister cannot be an enemy to the later but he is esteemed such to the former It 's spirituall phrensie to rage against the Physitian of thy soul A Minister should requite such unkindness with the revenge of pity and prayer and a holy resolution still to love though he be the