all punyshment for god of his iustice wyll not suffer synne to be vnpunyshed in these that wyll not repent In repentynge he forgyueth and pardonneth moche synne Enoch the seuenth from Adam ê“phecied before of suche saying behold the lord shal come with thousandes of saynctes to gyue iudgemeÌ„t agaynst all men / to rebuke all that are vngodly amoÌ„g them of all their vngodly dedes whiche they haue vngodly coÌ„mitted / of all their cruell spekinges whiche vngodly synners haue spoken against him Lest any man shulde thynke hym to haue spoken any newe thynge of these pseudapostels to be punysshed yf they do not repent he bryngeth in the prophecy of Enoch to coÌ„fyrme his senteÌ„ce sayinge that Enoch was a good man the seuenth from Adam that he ê“phecied paynes and greuous punyshmeÌ„tcs to come vpon euyll men yf they dyd not repent Also Enoch inspired with the spirite of god dyd prophecy the lord for to come with many thousandes of saynctes of the day of iudgemeÌ„t he appereth to speke to gyue iudgement agaynst all euyll men to reproue them of theyr noughty wordes and dedes of theyr noughty euyl wordes agaynst god the professers of his trewthe Of the whiche sayinge it is euydent that god wyll reproue in that day as well euyl wordes as euyll dedes Also Iude here certifieth vs that the day of iudgemeÌ„t wil come in the which day god wyll rewarde good men with hye rewardes euyll men with euerlastynge punyshement He wyll come to iudgemeÌ„t hauyng with hym many thousandes of his sayntes in the whiche day there shall be shewed as well the euyll wordes as the euyll dedes of euery man and shall be made open to all the worlde Of the whiche wordes and dedes euery man shall make a counte for hym selfe and yf they haue done well they shall receyue a rewarde yf they haue done euyll they shall be commytted to payne and punysshement euerlastynge Iude here threttenynge payne euerlastynge to euyll men dyd no newe thynge for Enoch the seuenth after Adam dyd the same Also here is to lerne the goodnes of god whiche prouydeth in all tymes som good men which disswadeth men from synne for feare of punyshement and also whiche hathe shewed mercy grace remissyon of synne to be onely of god that all trust and al confidence shulde be put in god This place of Iude scarse in any other place of scripture is founde therfore some of the fathers longe dyd reiecte this pystell of Iude but this is not ynoughe to reiecte a booke or a pystell for one or other sentence whiche do not differ from other places of scripture yf the sentence dyd differ from scripture then it were a cause outher to doutte of it or to reiecte it or elles no. Saynt Paule brynngeth in Iannem and Mambrem ii Timoth. iii. whiche were the wytches of Pharao whiche resysted Moyses Erodi vii suche men there were whose names be not expressed Exo. vii saynt Paule nameth them shall we saye that theyr names be not as saynct Paule calleth theym because theyr names is not expressed in any other place of scripture that is no sufficieÌ„t cause to say so or to reiect saiÌ„t Paules pistell to Timothe it is sufficient that saynt Paule dothe say it whom we knowe dyd speke by the holy goost the spiryte of god These are murmurers coÌ„playners walking after their owne lustes whose mouthes speketh proude thiÌ„ges they haue meÌ„ in gret reuereÌ„s bicause of auaÌ„tage Iude some thynges omytted before now he addeth of these pseudapostels affirmyng them to be murmurers coÌ„playners Yf any man wolde speke against their vsurped power say they that meÌ„ wold destroy al holynes al vertue al goodnes whiche only minysheth their power falsly vsurped if any man shal omyt any thing of their olde tytle by and by they crye out say that god and all his Sainctes is despised contemned and set at nought they cry the contempte of god and disobedyence to his churche when no man contemneth god nor is disobedyente vnto the churche of god nor disobedyent to nothynge that god wolde haue men obedyente to Furthermore they be murmurours agaynst god and his diuyne power yf any afflyccyons incommodites mynysshyng of their authorite ruell of their hye tytles and suche lyke ye they be not affrayed to murmure agaynst god that he suffereth suche thinges to chaunce vnto them contrary to their myndes These perceyuinge theyr lyues to be very shorte they murmoure in their hartes that god created of so shorte life subiect to so many infirmytes and sycnesses wysshynge and desyringe them to lyue euermore in this corporall body in plesure as they nowe lyue withoute any payne and of the lyfe to come vtterly despayringe measurynge all felycytye and pleasure of thys bodye These pseudapostelles be murmurors and complaynors yf euerye thynge do not come to passe after their mynde as God were to be blamed that he punyssheth not straytely theym that resystich and gaynsayeth their noughty wyll and couetouse mynde They murmure agaynste the truth knowne whiche openeth and sheweth theyr hypocrisy symulacyon longe hidde by the which they haue deceyued the worlde longe They murmoure that they can no lenger kepe the symple christen people in supersticyon false and fayned holynes the cause of they re murmurynge is by all coniectures that they can not encrease their ryches and substaunce no more by hipocrisy simulacyoÌ„ false and fayned holynes Their murmuringe sheweth that they be not content with their state and callyng They murmur agaynst other when agaynst theÌ„ haue men iust causes to murmure to complayne sayenge they lyue after theire proper concupyscence and plesure of the flesshe and not after the wyll of god whose mouthes speaketh proud thynges What bostynge wordes and full of vanite they do speake so far wide from the truth They saye they haue power in body soule and that they may make lawes to bynde mens consciences vnder the payne of deadly syn but Christ sayth that men hath power in that body to kyll the soule they can not saith christ Mat. x. feare not he saith these that kylleth the body the soule they can not kyll they haue not that they may do more theÌ„ kyll the bodye Furdermore they saye they haue two swerdes a spirytuall swerde a temporall with the whiche they may smyte whom they lyst wheÌ„ they lust contrary is this their proude sayeng to sainct Paul Ro. xiii which coÌ„maundeth euery man to be obedienc to the cyuill powers which not without a cause bereth the sworde to ponyshe euel doars to make good meÌ„ to lyue in peace and quyetnes Agayne they saye they be exempted from al kynges princys and rulers from all trybute or custum to be payde to Kynges Princys Emperors and that by their owne exempcyon froÌ„ all obedyence of hye powers and rulers And not onely thus they haue exempted themselues but also they haue exempted many other as many relygyouse howses
gyue vn to vs by his precious blode shed for vs on the crosse If remission of syn myght be gyuen by suche thynges then dyed Christ iÌ„ vayn then was Christ a foole to shede his blode to oprayne vs remission of synne seing remission of synne might haue com a more easier way thaÌ„ by sheding of Christê blode We be moche beholdyng to these dremers that they haue fouÌ„de a more easier way to opteyn forgyuenes of synne then Christ dyd fynde they be moche more wyser then Christ yf theyr inuention be true this is theyr dreme these that be awake do wel ynough perceyue theyr dremes to be vayne and vanite Suche men not without a sufficieÌ„t cause be talled dremers or deluded in dremes because we can not obteyne remissioÌ„ of synne but onely by Christ his bloode sayth saynt Paule Ephe. i. By Christ we be redemed by his bloode we haue remission of synne IoheÌ„s Apoca. i. He hath wasshed vs from synnes in his bloode If remyssyon of synne be by Christes bloode as it is in dede then it is not by the popes pardon by indulgence graunted by bysshoppes to this thynge or that thynge this cup pot or boll suche lyke Awake therfore you dremers yf any such yet be in a dreme and know your dremes to be vayne lies deceiue your self other no loÌ„ger the nyght is gone the daye is spronge vp the sonne shyneth all aboute thanked be god They defyle theyr flesshe Who be they that defile their flesshe Veryly they which lyue al togyder in deyntynes pleasure gyuynge them selues to all voluptuous pleasures of the flesshe folowyng theyr flesshly desyres appetytes in all pleasures that may be without feare of god or any shame of the worlde caryng for nothing so they may satisfye theyr carnall and beestly appetyte with voluptuousnes and pleasure whiche thynge is theyr chefe desyre wyl to fulfyl with pleasure theyr fleshly appetyte lust They despise rulers and speake euyll of them that be in authorytye Iude sheweth more of their propertyes he sayth they despyse rulers and speke euil of them that be in authorite Here Iude reproucth checketh pseudapostelles specially for two vices the one is that they pollute theyr flesshe defyle it lyuynge in voluptuousnes pleasure oâ— theyr flesshe the other is that they despyse rulers that is to say outwarde powers ordeyned of god vnder god they contemne speake euyll of comon rulers comoÌ„ officers But how despise they rulers Truly when they despyse nothyng regardes emperours kynges princis lordes comon mynisters of the comon welth do not honour cheym reuerence to them as honour shuld be gyuen to hye powers vnder god not obeyinge their lawful and iust coÌ„mauÌ„dementes for the comon welth but eremptyng them selues froÌ„ the obedience of hie powers and other also chalengynge authoritie power aboue kynges princis which authoritie power aboue kynges princis to be in this worlde saynt Paule dyd not knowe coÌ„maundynge euery man to be obedient to the hye powers sayinge RomÌ„ xiii Let euery man be obedient to the hye powers he that resysteth power he resysteth the ordynaunce of god and he that resisteth the ordynaunce of god he taketh to hym iudgement Of ciuyle power saynct Paule dothe appere to speake Saynt Peter confirmeth the same thing saying i. Petri. ii Be you subiecte to all maner of creatures for god whether it be the kynge as moost hyest or it be dukes as of hym sent to the punyshement of euyll men or to the prayse of good men Consyder gentyl reader yf the eremptions grauÌ„ted by the byshop of Rome by the whiche he hath erempted hym selfe many other relygyous howses and relygyouse men as they call theym and other spirituall men called from the obedyence of Cyuyle rulers and powers and wyll not be obedient to princis kynges but be aboue them haue princis kynges at theyr coÌ„maundement and they not obedient to the iust lawfull coÌ„mauÌ„dement of princis of kynges and of other comon mynisters appoynted by kynges princis for the comon welth Loke gentyl reader yf this exemption come not of hym which contempneth rulers Doth not this exemptioÌ„ or priuilege exempte men from dewe obedience to theyr superyour powers to whome saynt Paule RomÌ„ xiii saynt Peter i. Petri. ii coÌ„maundeth euery man to be obediente to superyour powers lette eueryman be obedient be he religiouse man be he other let no man thynke hym selfe to be exempted from the superiour powers as from the kynges grace his officers appointed by hym to be rulers in this realme for any exemptioÌ„ or priuilege grauÌ„ted by the bysshoppe of Rome whiche hath none suche authoryte by God graunted that he maye exempte men from the authoritie and obedyence to their superior powers to whome Saincte Paule commaundeth euerye man to be obedyent Roma xiii Hebreorum xiii Two vyces Iude notyth in thes pseudapostles the one that they contempne powers the other that they speake euell on them yet Mychaell the Archangell / when he stroue against the deuell / and dysputed about the bodye of Moyses durste not geue raylyng sentence / but sayde the Lorde rebuke the. Iudas sheweth these pseudeapostells speakyng euell of the hye powers ordynated of God to be more bolder then Mychaell the Archangell sent to fyght against the deuel whom he durst not curse nor speake euell of yf the Archaungell of God Mychaell durst not nor wolde not curse the deuel nor speke euel of him how moch more shulde not pseudeapostells curse good men and iust men put of god in authorite and in hye power to whom euery man shulde gyue due obedyence and be redy to do all lawfull commaundementes and not to resyst to curse or to speke euell of the hye powers to whoÌ„ honour reuerence and obedience must be geuen accordynge to the mynde of saincte Paule Roma xiii gyue vnto all men that is due Gyue honoure to whome honoure is due gyue feare to whome feare is due gyue trybute and custome to whome they be due c. This place of Iude is a straunge and rare place scarse was founde in any other place in Scrypture therfore this Epystell of Iude was reiected of the fathers because this place scarse was founde in any other place of scripture that made mencyon that Michael dyd fyght with the deuell as touching the bodye of Moises of what occasyon this contempcyon dyd spring vp be cause scrypture coÌ„mendeth Moyses so gretly saieng no prophet to haue bene in Israell like to Moses as it is written Num. xii sayth scrypture Moyses was meke aboue al them that dwelled in the erth and a lytel after that saith if any shal be amonge you a prophet of the lorde in visyon I wyll appere to hym or by slepe I wyll speke to him but not such is my seruaunt Moses which is most saythfullest in al my house I do speke to hym mouth by mouth openly not by
these thynges for which they curse speke euyll that is to say that they do not vnderstande a iust cause of their cursyng And not only men Iude sayth they curse but also other thyngê which they do not knowe that they curse and speke euyll of as of doctryne wrytyngê whiche they neuer red nor herd ye of suche doctrine as agreeth with Christis doctryne lernyng of the apostils but these pseudapostils speke euil of it whiche they knowe not nor yet can gyue iudgemeÌ„t of it for as moche as they neuer red it nor herd it red Amongê these men there be some so ignorant of gods doctryne that they haue wyshed desyred hartely of god saynt Paules pistels yea the newe testameÌ„t to be brent saying all errours heresies to come out of saiÌ„t Paules pistels the newe testament suche shamefull wordes detestable hath some doctors spoken whiche wolde haue ben counted for lerned men doctors in their sciences but as blynde as betils in gods lawe and ignorant in goddes worde and yet they were benefyced men rulers ordynaryes and heades of other ye of a hole couÌ„trey O mercyful lorde what were the membres when suche blynde beyardes were heades ordynaryes howe was the people of god fedde with goddes worde when the heade wolde haue had goddes worde brente Nothynge is more to the hurt and destruction of many soules in this realme then is to haue one to be officiall comysarye and ordynarye vnder the bysshop that is ignorant in gods lawe and goddes worde howe wyll he preache and teache hym selfe what example wyll he gyue to other what persons what viccars wyll he make of Trewly suche as he is hym selfe ignorant in goddes lawe and suche as be lerned he wyll hate and despise and they that wolde teache their flocke and feade with the holsome worde of god these he wyll call heretykes and accuse them of heresye and impryson them Examples to many we haue in this realme I praye god amende it when his plesure is Suche shamefull wordes hath doctors in their facultye as they call it spoken desyrynge to haue had Sayncte Paules pystels ye the newe testament brente Of theyr sayinges they haue ben nothing ashamed nor yet of theyr ignoraunce nor blyndenes but taken for ryght worshypfull men postes and pyllers of Christis churche these ignoraunt and blynde heades rulers of other howe coulde they preache goddes worde beynge thus affected howe coulde they fauour those that preached gods worde trewly and syncerely Trewly they coulde not this is the cause that trew preachcers of goddes worde in this realme be so euyll spoken on as they be because they exhorte al beneficed men to do theyr dewtye to preache goddes worde to feade theyr flocke with the doctryne of god that they myght saue theyr soules in the daye of the lorde But a great part of beneficed men no thyng regarde theyr dewty coÌ„mauÌ„ded them of god nor the exhortation of the preachers that is to feade theyr flocke with goddes worde but neglygently despyseth that office and wyll neyther feade his flocke hym selfe nor yet se or prouyde that they be fedde by other that can do it yea they wyll speke euyll of suche as preache goddes worde purely and sincerely make them to be endited of heresye whiche preache goddes worde purely which do feade the people of god trewly with gods worde suche is the affections of many persons viâ—ars and curates suche is theyr ignoraÌ„ce suche is their blyndnes god send them the lyght of his worde that they may se it and vse it to the helth of them and theyr flocke Many there be that peraduenture thynketh it is ynough they do the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of theyr ordynary so that they neuer preche nor fede their flocke with gods worde whiche men deceyueth them selues yf they so thynke for this wyll not excuse theym before the hye iudge at the day of iudgement as is euident Ezech. iii. xxxiiii xxxiii pri Corinth ix Wo be to me sayth saynct Paule yf I preache not Iude here speaketh in the neutre gendre sayinge that they dyd speke euyll of these thynges whiche they dyd not knowe by the whiche he vnderstandethe many thynges Here we may se what euyll it is to curse those thynges that men do not knowe or that they haue neyther herde nor redde To suche men saynt Ierome gyueth a good counsell in a pystell before Esaie the prophete He willeth that men shuld fyrst reade and then despyse least they maye he thought not of a trewe iudgemente or knowlege but of a presumption of hatred to condempne those thynges they knowe not yf men wolde folowe here saincte Hieromes counsell they wolde not be so redy to condempne as they be whiche as beestes without reason they corrupte them selues Iude here sayth they corrupte them selues naturally as brute beestes with oute reason as who shulde saye they lyue in welth and pleasure and in satisfyenge the desyre of their fleshe they passe brute beestes whiche be without reason whiche lyue after their nature but these in the fylthynes of their flesh they kepe not her measure nor meane all together giuen vnto pleasure of eatinge and drinkynge and to satisfy the other pleasures of the body wherfore they be worse then brute bestes which lyue after their nature wo be vnto them / for they haue folowed the way of Cayne Here Iude noâ—eth these pseudeapostels to be full of enuy as Cayne was towardes his brother Abell whome he kylled Cayn enuyed his brother abell because his brothers sacrifyce was better or more iust then his Genesis iiii and therfore he dyd kyll him So there be many that foloweth the waye of Cain whiche can not beare that other men and other mennes workes shulde be preferred before theym or they re workes Here is to be noted fyrst Cayn an euell man to haue enuyed his brother Abel a good man Secondly Cayne of enuy to haue persecuted his brother be cause his brother was better then he and his brothers workes preferred before hys Thyrdely that it greueth euell men other man or other mennes workes or oblacyons to be preferred before theym Fourthely that two brethren of one man and of one woman the one to haue bene good and the other euell Fyftely one brother to haue kylled an other of malice enuy and hatred Syxtely learne enuy and hatred to bryng murdoure and man slaughter at the ende Seuently learne that euell men allwayes enuyeth good men persecuteth theym with mortall hatred without a cause and at the laste kylleth theym And that this thynge is no newe thynge here you maye see of Cayn and Abell Many there is that entre the way of Cayn and foloweth his foote steppes in his enuy and malyce drowned and these be called Caynys Many there be nowe a dayes Caynys that enuyeth the true preachers of the Gospell but these shall haue a rewarde with Cayn to whom the apostell doth threate wo that is to saye euerlastynge woo and