to other or any maner of iniurye or wronge in worde or in dede It was nedeful for me to write vnto you As who shulde saye I se it is so necessary for you that I coulde not refrayne but I must nedes wryte vnto you my charite so compelleth me perceyuynge it to be moche for your profyte to exhorte you to go forwarde in that true faythe receyued and to profyte in the same and to encrease it dayly more more And that you shuld not shrynke one heare brede from that true faythe whiche you haue receyued and which was gyuen vnto the saynctes of god by preachynge of the gospell as saynt Paule sayth RomÌ„ x. Fayth coÌ„meth of herynge herynge veryly by the worde of god He exhorteth them that they shulde continually labour in the fayth or be helpers to the fayth as Erasmus traÌ„slation hath whiche was ones gyuen to saynctes Here be two thynges to be noted for oure lernynge One is that he desyreth theym to be helpers of the faythe to the whiche men be helpers after this phrase of scripture whan they suffer not the fayth receyued to be weyke feble or inconstant to be oppressed with desyres or affections of the flesshe or of the worlde by the crafte or suttyltye of false prophetes to be brought a waye from it led in to a false belefe by false doctors whom the deuyll doth vse as his ministers to deceyue the symple people vn lerned Also scripture vseth to cal men helpers of the fayth when men do diligeÌ„tly watche that they be not deceyued by the deuyll nor by none of his ministers when they do labour with all force to make theyr fayth sure and stronge douttynge or haltynge in no part but by al meanes studyeth euery day to make their faith more stroÌ„ger stroÌ„ger by al maner of good warkes The other thynge that was here to be noted is that we shulde knowe fayth to be gyuen from aboue for he desireth them to be helpers to the sayth which was gyuen ones to sayntes Fayth is the worke of god it coÌ„meth of god as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth this is the warke of god that you shulde beleue in hym Saynt Paule wytnesseth the same sayinge Philip. i. Not onely it is gyuen to you that you shulde beleue in god but also that you shulde suffer for his sake Of these two places of scripture it is euident sayntes lyuynge or deed not to haue had fayth of them selfes or of theyr owne myght power but to haue receyued it of god which gyueth fayth to whom he wil when he wil although saint Paul saith faith to com of the heryng of the word of god which worde although many may here it yet no man shall beleue but he to whom god gyueth fayth and in whom god warketh fayth and beleue For there are certayne craftely crepte in / of whiche it was writen a fore tyme vnto such iudgement they are vngodly turne the grace of our lorde god vnto wantonnes and denye god the onely lorde and our lorde Iesus Chryste The apostel more at large sheweth the cause of his admonition whiche is to monyshe them that they shuld arme them selfes with sure armure defence to defende them agaynst false ê“phetes and that they shulde in any wyse take hede of them lest by the craft falshere of pseudapostels they shulde be deceyued alienated from the way of truth and from syncere doctryne of the gospel What maner of men were these pseudapostels false doctours in the seconde pistel of Peter ca. ii it is shewed more abundaÌ„tly And also here after shall be god wyllynge more playnly declared how they haue come in Iude here doth partly shew saying they haue craftely crepte in not playnly preachynge the gospel of god but darkly colouryng it with great pretence of holines mixting mans doctryne with gods word teachyng mans doctryne mans traditions dremes fantasyes of men in the stede of gods worde wyllynge perswadyng as great fayth as great authorite to be gyuen to the traditions writinges of men as to gods wordes gods holy pÌ„ceptes but these be euyll false doctors of god deputed to iudgement that they shuld suffer paynes vn to the day of iudgement and after that day that they shulde suffer more greuous paynes in body soule togyder seinge that now they suffer paynes punysh meÌ„tes only in the soule after the mynde of the doctors shal suffer in the soule only paynes to the day of iudgemeÌ„t after the daye of iudgement shall then suffer paynes and turmentes bothe in body soule as the doctors doth say They are vngodly and tourne the grace of our lorde god vnto wantonnes They be so vngodly so vngracious that they turne al that we haue of god and of his grace to fulfyll and satisfye theyr pleasures pluckyng to them selues hasty destruction eternall deth they are so euyll myscheuous full of all vnhappynes that they turne the free benefyte of god grace by the whiche Christ hath delyuered vs from synne deth hell deuyll and eternal dampnation and made vs innoceÌ„tes and free from all captiuitie of synne and set vs in innocency holynes whiche thing shuld moue vs to kepe innocency holynes they turne this libertie of the spiryte wherby men be set to do all good thynges and no euyll to do only those thynges to the whiche the spirite of god moueth and exhorteth These vngodly turne this liberty in to a carnall liberty in occation liberty to synne gyueth them selfe holly to wantonnes so lasciuiousnes to vnclenlines to bawdry to fornication to adultery other many vices synnes nor yet they are not so coÌ„tent but they denye their maister whiche hath redemed them by his precious blode they denye their maister not openly before al men playnly but secretely in corners crafâ—ely they denye theyr maister But when denye they thus theyr maister priuely and secretly Truly when they ascribe their iustification forgyuenes of synnes to any creature or to any warke by the might and power of the warke to any indulgence or pardon to masses ad scala celi to holy beades to kyssynge of images suche lyke and not to Christ Iesus and to his bloode shedde for vs to optayne vs remission of synne by whose bloode onely we were wasshed vs in from our synnes as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Apoc. 1. He hath washed vs iÌ„ his blode from our synnes They denye the lord whiche ascrybeth remission of synnes to any other thynge then to Chryste his blode whiche thyng false ê“phetes dothe denyenge theyr mayster They turne the grace of god to wantonnes As who shulde say they were called and redemed with the precious bloode of Christe Iesus that they shulde lyue in all innocency puritie of life in all holynes godlynes But they be traÌ„slated turned froÌ„ all innocency puritie of lyfe turned to all maliciousnes wantonnes fylthines They
desyreth and wyssheth to them to whome he wryteth here it is shewed He desyreth that god wold encrease and multiplye hys gyftes in them and specyally gyue them mercy peace and charyte with hym whiche thre gyftes be very necessarye for euerye Chrystyan man and woman as loÌ„ge as they shall lyue in this worlde The Apostell here teacheth vs what â—hynge we shulde desyre one vnto an other that is to saye the gyftes of god to be entreased and multyplyed amongeste vs and in all men From thys holsome councell of the Apostell Iude far be these men and women whiche do not desyre nor wysshe good thynges vnto theyr neyghboures or other men but desyreth vengeaunce euell chaunce death of their neyghboure or euell fortune to chaunce vnto they re neyghboure or neyghboures cattell or goodes which doth curse or banne theyr neighboures desyringe GOD to take a vengeaunce vpon theym or to sende sum sodeyne syknesse or dysease vpon theym as the pestylence the fraunche pockes the fallynge sycknes or soche lyke Those men folowe not the councell of the Apostell in this place Let therfore al such euel persons that folowe not the councel of the apostell leue their euell deuellyshe affeccyon desyre whiche bringeth euetla sting death yf it be not left and for sakyn with repentauÌ„ce before deth and folowe the holsome counsell of sainct Iude whiche desyreth mercye peace and charyte to be multiplyed to euery one Fyrst he desyreth to them the mercye of God that it wolde please God to geue theym his mercye and grace that they myght repent them of theyr olde vyces and synnes and vtterly forsake theym and haue a newe lyfe in Christe Iusus whiche thynge no man can do withoute the mercye and grace of god therfore mercy and grace is first of all to be desyred Secundly he desyreth Peace betwene men and God in mennes conseyences whiche Peace and quyetnesse in conscyence euell men hath not for to euell men is no peace with God in their conseyences as the Prophet sayth but euell men hateth god alway and feare hym fore lest he shulde punysshe them For they counte god as a strayte iudge or a cruell tormentoure that wyll suffer no faulte vnponysshed but wyll extremely punyshe euery faulte or trespace done agaynst him The euel som tymes doth abstayne from wyees and synnes but not for loue of GOD or of iustyce but for feare of payne or for hope of reward of men or fauor of meÌ„ The euell somtymes hath peace outwardely as with men and with the worlde but in wardly in their conscyence they lacke peace and quyetnesse In their herte they haue GOD as on wrath with theÌ„ their conseyence byte them and troubleth them sore day nor nyght they be not quyet in conscience but euer when they remember God they feare payne punishment This consyderynge Iude he desyreth to theÌ„ peace in meÌ„nes consciences with god whiche peace only hath gyuen men the be insâ—yfyed by faythe wytnessynge s Paule Ro. v. we iustifyed by fayth haue peace with God whether they haue peace with the worlde and men of the worlde or no good men that be iustifyed by faith haue peas with god in wardly in their conscience Thirdly he desyreth charyce that they shulde be charytable and louing one to an other knyt to gether in mutuall loue one loayng an other hertely shewynge their loue by mutuall workes and dedes and that theyr loue shulde be onely for goddes cause but not for no carnall lucre or aduauntage honoure or any carnall cause Thus in this salutacion we be taught what christen men shulde desyre and wyshe one to an other that is to saye mercye peace and charyte of God as the apostell teacheth vs. Beloued when I gaue all dilygence to wryte vnto you of the commen helth / it was nedefull for me to wryte vnto you to exhorte you that ye shuld continually labour in the fayth which was ones gyuen vnto sayntes Nowe beginneth the narracyon sheweth the cause of the pystel shewinge also what a greate desyre wyll minde he had to profyte them ye what care and thought he had for their helth specially for these thynges that pertayneth to their euerlastyng helth he had so gret a desyre that he could not refrayn but he must nedes wryte to theym hauyng no les care for them theÌ„ for hymselfe perceiuing them to be in gret ieo perdy parell by the craste and falsed of the false prophetes Therfore Iudas perceyuinge these perils to aproche to christians moued by brotherly charite he colde not teÌ„per hym from writing to shewe chrysten men of their perelles and also to exhorte them that they wolde not cease to walke in a pure and syncere fayth and loue whiche they had hearde preached and had lerned of the true Apostels of god And also he desyreth them to take heede of false Prophetes whiche alwaye dyd study to brynge the true Christyanes from the trewe fayth whiche they had receaued Here we maye learne what study and desyre it becommeth euerye one of vs to haue towardes an other that we maye profyte other Secondly with all dylygence and studye takynge late vs exhorte other to walke in the treweth truely receaued lesse they shulde ware sloggesshe by neglygence or slouthfulnesse Thirdely that they maye auoyde the parelles that be lyke for to ensue by slouthfulnes or negligence or by ignoraunce yf they be not monysshed specyally it becommeth for to monysshe to auoyde parelles when that parell of Soule doth appere Thus it becoÌ„meth euery man to care for an other to mony she an other oâ—iepardy that may ensu both in worde also in writing this care it may not be litel but it must be gret with al labour dilygeÌ„ce to profit other as â—raÌ„ple to be takeÌ„ in this place of Iude. Of the coÌ„mon helthe For what thynge Iude laboureth so diligently to wryte to them here he expresseth saying it was for the coÌ„mon helthe He calleth it the coÌ„mon helthe because he couÌ„ted their helth his helth suche was his loue towardes them that he was no other wayes affected towardes them then towardes hymselfe countyng that same euyll to chauÌ„ce to hym selfe the shulde chaunce to them by the crafte and suttiltie of false prophetes gyuyng vs example lykewise one to be affected towardes an other as he was to theÌ„ to whom he wroce and also as meÌ„bres of one body be one to an other This saying of Iude doth checke all them whiche be not careful for theyr neyghbours nor for other be-sydes them selfes which care not what become of other so they be well themselues Also it sharpely reproueth all them which care nothynge at all nor nothynge dothe study howe they may profyte other whiche passe nothynge at all what become of other whether they lyue or dye be sycke or in helthe be gladde or be sory Yea this sermon of Iude moche more condempneth all those that study to do hurte damage
be traÌ„slated q. d. they be all chauÌ„ged froÌ„ the holynes to the whiche Chryst dyd call them by benefit dyd inuyte them but they be translated from that holynes be translated after the maner of the Galaâ—hians of whom saint Paule coÌ„playneth saying I merueile that froÌ„ Christ whiche hath called you by grace you are so soone translated in to an other gospell whan there is none other but that some men there be that troubleth you wolde inuerte the gospel of Christ Gala. 1. as these of whom saynt Iude here coÌ„playneth that they translated the grace of god in to wantonnes and they were vtterly translated from all holynes to the whiche Christ had called them so I feare that we christians be traÌ„slated from the doctryne of Christ from the true fayth taught in it by the bysshop of Rome his lawes by decrees statutes traditions of the churche of Rome in to the forgetfulnes of goddes lawe of goddes commaundement in to other maners facions then goddes lawe doth coÌ„maunde or suffereth yea we be farre traÌ„slated by the byshop of Romes lawes amonges vs vsed and vsurped so longe that many one doth thynke hath thought the bishop of Romes lawe to be gods lawe to haue lyke authorite with gods lawe that it byndeth no lesse than gods lawe yea this lawe of the bysshop of Rome hath brought vs so far out of frame that scarse we thynke those thynges ê‘teyne vnto vs whiche gods worde byddeth coÌ„mauÌ„deth vs. Therfore let vs be sory for this translation from Chryste his coÌ„maundement be traÌ„slated agayne to Chryst that we may do those thynges whiche Christ coÌ„maundeth vs that we our warkis may be acceptable before god My mynde is therfore to put you in remembrauÌ„ce / for as moche as ye ons knowe this / how that the lorde after that he had delyuered the people out of Egipte destroyed theym whiche beleued not Iude bryngeth in here iii. eraÌ„ples of these that transgressed the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god was punished for their synne to pluck back other froÌ„ synne for feare of punyshment whiche our lorde wyll gyue to theÌ„ that wyll not cesse froÌ„ synne punishment froÌ„ the begynnynge was euer pÌ„pared deputed for synners as to good men a rewarde in ioy blysse But although good meÌ„ hath euer bâ—n rewarded euyll men punysshed yet there is a differeÌ„ce good men hath ben shal be rewarded by life euerlastyng not of their merites or for the worthynes of their workes but only of the mercy goodnes of god Euyll men hath suffered paynes punyshmeÌ„t for theyr iniquite synnes because they haue done euyll therfore god of his iustyce hath punysshed them and to refrayne other from synne for feare of punyshment here Iude bryngeth in thre examples by the whiche he ê‘swadeth that god wyl punysshe synners that wyl not repent and leaue theyr synne The first example is taken of the people of Israell brought out of Egypte from the great boÌ„dage of Pharao whiche oppressed the people of god with â—tollerable paynes labours Of the whiche people god at the laste had mercy and delyuered theym from theyr bondage brought them sauffe out of Egypte But these people not beleuynge god hath kylled in the deserte Of the whiche we may note the goodnes of god in his people whom he wold saue and delyuer from all bondage perylles Seconde the vnkyndenes of these people not beleuynge the promyses of god seing that god had done so moche for them before as to delyuer them from the bondage and cruelty of Pharao aboue all mans expectation and had punyshed Pharao with all his adherentes with great plages and punyshmentes and at the last drowned hym with all his hoost in the reed see and also had done for them that they thought more then all this had brought theym throughe the reed see as by the drye waye in to the deserte where he fedde them with meate sente from heuen that is to say with maÌ„na had gyuen them drynke out of the peter stone At the last these people for all these thynges not beleuyng goddes promyses but complaynynge grudgynge and murmurynge agaynst god and against Moyses god hath punyshed with deth in the desert for theyr offences Of the whiche we may surely perswade vnto vs yf god haue punysshed these people whom he loued so well for whom he dyd so mothe to whom he shewed suche benefytes yf god haue punyshed them with deth as he dyd for their iÌ„credulite vnbelefe their synnes how moche more is it euideÌ„t that he wyl not suffer false apostels or other offendynge and brekynge his lawes to be vnpunysshed Therfore let all synners beware and repenâ— betyme and leaue synne for yf they do not they may be sure they shal nâ—â— escape without punysshement The aungels also whiche kept not theyr fyrste estate / but lefte theyr owne habitation he hath reserued in euerlasting chaynes vnder darknes vnto iudgemeÌ„t of the great daye Now Iude bryngeth in the seconde example by the whiche he afrayeth synners froÌ„ synne by feare of payne punyshment And this example is taken of auÌ„gels created of god in a hye glorious nature to whom ê“fited nothing their excellenci of treatioÌ„ for as moche as they dyd not kepe theyr innocency in which they were created in but left their innocencye and dyd fall to inyquytie and synne pryde prycked them so greately yf God this noble and excellente creature offendyng I meane Angelles offendynge hath ponysshed and depryuat the heauenly lyght and to euerlastyng darknes hath committed them where they be kepte in perpetuall chaynes in darknes vnto the daye of iudgemente and after euer to be ponyshed yf god hath ponished Angelles offendynge howe moche more other offendynge he wyll ponysshe whiche from theire synnes wyll not cesse This saienge of Iude doth appere to shewe that the Angells was created of God that they shulde lyue in all innocency and kepe their place in heauen deputed vnto them for their inhabytacyon and dwellinge place from the whiche they did fall by synne and was caste hedlynges in to this darke ayre bounde in chaynes of darknes and they be kepte in a darke place whiche is contayned from the heauens aboue vnto the lowe grounde as Faber doch saye and that vnto the daye of iudgement and then they shal be giuen and commytted vnto the eternall punysshemente of hell euer there to be punysshed in paynes euerlastynge Euen as zodom and gomor the Cities aboute them which in lyke maner defyled them selues with fornicacyon and folowed straunge flesshe are seâ— forthe for an ensample and suffer the vengeaunce of eternall fyre The thyrde ensample is here put whiche is of zodomme and gomor and other Cyties polluted in theyr fylthynes therfore punysshed of God for their abhomynacy on and synnes as for fornycacyon adulterye vnclenlynes synne agaynste nature fylthy pollucyonnes and other suche lyke with these synnes
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