handes yet thought I it good to write the same againe vnto you to thintent I might bee as a Remembrauncer to you as it is the duetie of al true Apostles to bee to perseuere and continue in that doctrine which ye haue learned to practise and exercise it and to liue accordyng to the preceptes rules and directions thereof not thinkyng that I doe preache any other thyng vnto you now then ye haue afore bothe heard and learned The Churche that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you SAlutations were wont in this sorte to bee sent by letters The Churche saieth he that is at Babylon saluteth you There were twoo greate Cities of this name the one in Chaldaea the other in Aegypt whiche is now called Alkair Rome also by an Allegorie is called Babylon because of the greate confusion of villainous vices beeyng gathered thither as into the common Sinke of the worlde And some would faine haue it to be here so taken But I can not bée brought to that opinion The woorde by interpretation signifieth Confusion It is moste like to bee that Babylon in Assyria or Chaldaea where Saincte Peter was the Apostle of the Circumcision And Marcus my Sonne SOme saie this was Marke the Euangelist whom he calleth his Sonne not after the Flesh but after the Spirit As sainct Paule likewise calleth Timotheus and Titus his Soonnes and writeth to the Corinthians that he had begotten them in Christ Greete ye one an other with the kisse of Loue. THis custome of Kissyng is now growen out of vse Wee reade in the Gospell that Christ kissed his Disciples whiche was a custome then in those Countreis Of this Kisse Sainct Paule also maketh often mention Act. xx.j. Cor. xvj ij Cor. xiij Rom. xvj Peace bee with you all whiche are in Christe Iesus Amen THat is whiche faithfullie beleeue in Christe And this is the ende of this his former Epistle wherein he commendeth theim vnto the protection and tuition of Almightie God who mercifullie graunt that wee maie throughlie vnderstande and effectuallie keepe and practise the doctrine comprised in the same Amen ⧠An Induction or Preface of D. Martine Luther into the seconde Epistle generall of Sainct Peter SAinct Peter perceiuyng and foreseyng that the true pure doctrine of Faithe should after his daies be corrupted obscured and dimmed writeth this Epistle wherein â—e meetetâ— with two errors at once arisyng out of the false vnderstandyng of this doctrine of Faithe and giueth moste profitable lessons of either parte to witte first that no man ascribe any suche strength or force to VVoorkes as that thei should be any waie able to iustifie vs before God for that is the effect of Faithe onelie Againe that no man should thinke that Faithe can bee without Good woorkes For wee can no soner preach of Faith how that it alone without the helpe of any our Good woorkes maketh vs iuste and acceptable before GOD but straightwaies some are readie to barke against vs saiyng that then it is needelesse and bootelesse for any manne to doe any Good deedes and this wee knowe by daiely experience is the common speech and saiyng On the other side when we vrge and teache Good woorkes praise them then Faithe falleth and looseth muche of her dignitie So that wee see it to bee a verie hard matter in this behalfe to kepe a right meane speciallie where there is want of painfull and faithfull Preachers Now the Lorde teacheth vs that we should attribute all our Iustification before God vnto a sincere Faithe in Christe Iesus But when wee haue thus soundly preached inculked this infallible doctrine of Faithe we must also teache that Good woorkes muste needes ensue Because wee maie not at any hande so long as wee be in this life bee idle without dooyng some woorke All this doeth Sainct Peter in this Epistle pursue and discourse vppon at large meetyng with those who peradueÌ„ture out of his former Epistle had foded themselues with a false opinion and mistaken his meanyng in thinking Faithe to bee sufficient although there be no good VVorkes at all And vpon this poinct is the firste Chapter of this Epistle specially written wherin he teacheth and willeth the godlie to approue and declare the certaintie of their Faithe by their Good workes The seconde Chapter is against them whiche extoll VVorkes onelie and throwe doune Faithe And therfore he warneth vs aforehande of false teachers and seducers whiche by newe doctrines of their owne deuise should darken and abolishe this assuraunce whiche eche one ought firmely to haue of Faithe for he sawe what detestable iugglyng Apostacie add departyng awaie from the Faithe would bee in the worlde whiche euen then beganne as Saincte Paule saieth ij Thess ij The Mysterie of Iniquitie doeth alreadie woorke Jn the third hee plainlie describeth and setteth out the impietie of those that make a mockage and ieste of the woorde of God and sheweth that in the latter daies the people through vnbebeleef and lacke of feare of the Iudgement of the laste daie shalbee euen as Epicures whollie giuen to the fleshe This Epistle therfore is written to forewarne vs to shewe our Faithe by our VVorkes but yet not so that we should haue any confideÌ„ce or trust in our VVorkes or thinke them any whitte or in any respecte meritorious or auaileable towarde our saluation The second Epistle Generall of Sainct Peter ¶ The first Chapter SImon Peter a seruant and an Apostle of Iesus Christe to you whiche haue obteined like precious faith with vs by the righteousnesse of our GOD and Sauiour Iesus Christe Grace and peace bee multiplied to you by the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lorde Accordyng as his godly power hath giuen vnto vs all thinges that perteine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of hym that hath called vs vnto glorie vertue Wherby most greate precious promises are giueÌ„ vnto vs that by theÌ„ ye should be partakers of the godly nature in that ye flee the corruptioÌ„ which is in the world through lust Therefore giue euen al diligence thereunto ioyne moreouer vertue with your faithe and with vertue knowledge And with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse And with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse with brotherly kindnesse loue For if these thinges bee among you and abounde they will make you that ye neither shalbe ydle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christe For he that hath not these thinges is blind and can not see farre of and hath forgotten that he was purged from his olde sinnes Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your callyng and election sure for if ye doe these thinges ye shall neuer fall For by this meanes an entring shalbe ministred vnto you abundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you alwaies in remembraunce of these thynges though that ye haue knowledge and be
Faithe And therefore he saieth All these thynges shall ye bee sure to haue if ye so liue that ye shewe foorth your faithe Flee and the corruption whiche is in the worlde through lust Therefore giue euen all diligence thereunto ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith HEre sainct Peter exhorteth them to declare and shewe foorth their Faith by their good Woorkes as though he should saie Seeyng that ye haue obtained so many and so greate benefites by Faithe that what God himself hath ye also haue endeuour your selues and geeue all diligence hereunto be not slouthful and sluggish but shewe forth the effectes and fruictes of your faith that is let your Faithe appeare openly before Men let it bee dutifull charitable seruiceable diligent effectuall and workyng euer occupied in well doing not ydle neither vnfruitfull Ye haue a good Farme and a fertile Field to worke in be ye diligent husbandes therfore and take heede leaste through your slouth and securitie there growe vp in it Brambles Weedes Darnell and Cockle And with vertue knowledge THis is that Knowledge by the which ye maie chiefly know how by reason to qualifie and leade your liues and how to direct theffectes vertues of your Faith that ye neither ouermuche pamper and cocker your bodies neither denie vnto it that whiche is needefull For thus farre is the flesh to bee brideled and kept vnder and no further that it maie bee sober watchfull and apt to good Workes and not as some Hypocrites wider the vizard of feined holinesse doe to hurt or destroye your bodies For although GOD hate the Sinne that is in the fleshe yet his will is not that you should therefore destroye your bodies Ye ought to suppresse and restraine the lustes and concupiscences thereof but not to destroye or hurt it but rather to minister vnto it sufficient allowance and maintenaunce that it maie continue sounde healthfull and liuyng Knowledge also is ioigned and linked with vertue wheÌ„as good respect and regard of honestie and modestie is had in all our conuersation and dealinges and when a conuenient measure is obserued and kept in our Meates Drinckes Apparaile Wordes and all other our actions so that wee neither swerue from the rule of reason nor giue any occasion of offence to our Neighbour And with knowledge temperaunce TEmperaunce consisteth not onely in eatyng and drinckyng but in obseruyng that due meane whiche knowledge whereof wee spake afore doeth prescribe to bee vsed in all our life and conuersation aswell in woordes and woorkes as in maners and dealinges that no man frame hymself to liue after a more sumptuous and nice sorte then is conuenient that all superfinitie of Apparaile and brauerie be auoided and that no man goe more pompouslie and gorgeouslie then is meete or standeth with Christian modestie But saincte Peter in these cases inescribeth no certein rule nither limiteth any boundes for the same whiche thyng our Papisticall munckishe Votaries presumed to doe comprizyng these matters within the compasse of certein Canons and rules deuised out of their owne braines tiyng men to a straicte obseruation of these thynges after one and the selfsame maner Whiche thing to bee vsed among Christians is vnpossible to wit that a certaine sett order and precise anotation in these externall thynges should bee comprehended within the compasse of certein preceptes and generall rules of euery particular person to bee particularlie obserued For men bee of vnlike disposition one is of a strong and sounde nature an other weake and faint and no man is at all tymes and in all respectes so affected and giuen as an other is And therefore euery one oughâ— to haue a speciall regarde to the constitution and disposition of his owne bodie what he is able to beare sustaine and endure and what he is not And with temperaunce pacience SAinct Peters meanyng 〈◊〉 these words is this Although ye liue accordyng to knowledge modestie and temperaunce without giuyng offence to any in your conuersation and behauiour yet thinke ye not that ye shall liue quietly without temptation and persecution For when yée beleeue and leade an honest and Christian life agreeable to your profession the Worlde will not ceasse to hate and persecute you Here then must Pacience bee shewed foorth whiche is one of the fruictes of Faith And with pacience godlinesse WHat soeuer wee dooe or what soeuer wee suffer in this lâ—fe let vs be thankfull to GOD for thesame not seekyng our owne glorie praise or commoditie but onely that thereby God maie be glorified and that we so behaue our selues in all thynges that it maie appeare that wee doe all thynges for the loue whiche we beare vnto God And with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse HEreby Sainct Peter bindeth vs one to serue an others turne and to bee helpyng one to an other as Brethren one to be carefull of an others welfare one not to hate despise or hurte an other And this is an other triall or fruicte of our Faithe whereby we testifie to the worlde that we haue that Godlinesse whiche is spoken of afore And with brotherlie kindnesse Loue. BY Loue be meaneth that common and generall Loue with the whiche wee are bounde to Loue as well our Enemies and those which doe not accoÌ„pt of vs as Bretheren nor vouchsafe to liue together with vs freendlie and Brotherlie as theâ—â— that are our verie freendes in deede In whiche fewe woordes Saincte Peter hath comprehended all that appertaineth to a Christian life and what be the woorkes and fruletes of true Faithe in deede namely knowledge to liue well Temperaunce Patience Godlinesse Brotherlie kindnesse and a generall Loue to all And therefore he addeth further For if these thynges bee among you and abound thei will make you that ye neither shalbe idle not vnfruictfull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christe WHen ye giue your selues to these exercises and woorkes ye tread the right pathe ye goe the right waie and haue in you the true and sincere Faithe and further the knowledge of Christ is effectuall and fruitfull in you Take heede therefore to your selues that ye make not light accoumpte of these thynges Keepe your bodies in subiection and so deale with your neighbours as you knowe that Christ hath dealt with you For he that hath not these thynges is blinde and can not see farre of and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old synnes HE that hath not in hymself these fruictes of his Faithe dooeth but as it were grope for his waie like a blinde man in the darke not knowyng whereto sette his foote yea suche is his life that he resteth doubtfull and vncertaine in what case he standeth towardes GOD He neither hath true Faithe nor any further knowledge of Christ sauyng that he can talke of hym as he hath heard others reporte And therefore doeth but bluster blindly and at randoÌ„ in the whole course of his life like a blinde manne that seeketh his waie with his hande and hath forgotten that euer he
and thinges vaine and fonde Gods power must bee present to woorke in vs as Sainct Paule writeth Ephes 1.17 God giue vnto you the Spirite of wisedome that yee maie knowe what is the exceadyng greatnesse of his power to vs warde whiche beleeue accordyng to the woorkyng of his mightie power c. For it is not onely by the will of God but also by a certaine Power of his that we doe beleue wherby wee are to learne that it is no lesse matter to make faithe in one then it is to create againe heauen and earth Wee maie euidently perceiue therefore that thei little knowe what thei saie whiche vse suche woordes as these how can onely faithe doe all seeyng many beleeue whiche doe no good woorkes at all For thei thinke their owne imagination to bee faithe and that faithe also maie bee without good woorkes But wee saie with saincte Peter that faithe is the power of GOD In whom soeuer God woorketh thus the same is a regenerate and a new borne creature so that then of faith there can not but naturally followe good woorkes Wherefore it shalbe needelesse to saie to a ChristiaÌ„ doe this or doe that good woorke forasmuche as of his owne accorde vnbidden he worketh nothyng but good woorkes Howbeit he is to bee hereof admonished that he dooe not deceiue hym self with any false counterfaite and supposed faithe Doe not therefore take any regarde to those vaine talkers that can prattle muche of these thynges whose woordes notwithstandyng are but as winde meâ—e trifles Of such Paule speaketh 1. Cor. 4. I will come vnto you and will knowe not the wordes of them that are puffed vp but spirituall power For the kyngdome of GOD consisteth not in woordes but in power Where this power of GOD is not there is neither true faithe nor good woorkes Wherefore thei vndoubtedly are liers whiche boaste themselues of the name and faith of Christ and doe notwithstanding leade a leude and wicked life For assuredly if the power of God bee present thei can not but become other maner of men then suche But what meaneth that whereas S. Peter saith By the power of God ye are kepte vnto saluation surely euen this Faithe whiche the power of God beeyng in vs and wherewith wee are replenished doeth woorke in vs is a thing so noble and excellente that by it wee haue certaine and manifeste knowledge of all thynges that pertaine to saluation beeyng now able to iudge and freely pronounce of all thinges whiche are in the yearth as for example This doctrine is sincere and sounde that is corrupt and false this life is good that is euill this was well dooen that otherwise And what soeuer suche a man doeth define and determine is so in deede For hee can not bee deceiued but is preserued and kepte by the power of God remaineth iudge of all doctrines Contrariwise where faithe and the power of God is not there is nothyng but error and blindnesse there reason is caried away hither and thither from one woorke to an other in asmuche as it striueth by her owne woorkes to come vnto heauen and therefore alwaies thinketh Behold this will bryng me to heauen let me worke this and I shall bee partaker of eternall felicitie and blessednesse Hereupon haue ouerspread the worlde suche rabbles and swarmes of Monasteries Altars sacrificyng Priestes Monkes Friers and Votaries Into suche greate blindnesse doth God suffer them to fall whiche doe not beleeue but to vs that beleeue hee preserueth and affordeth a right vnderstandyng in all thynges that wee maie not bee condemned through this blindnesse but through his mercie attaine saluation Which is prepared to be shewed in the laste tyme. THat is the inheritaunce whereunto ye are appoincted is alreadie purchased and from the beginnyng of the worlde prepared but now it is hid it is as yet couered and as it were closed and sealed vp but after a while it shall in a moment be opened and reueiled that we maie plainly sée it Wherein ye reioyce though now for a season if neede require ye are in heauinesse through manifolde tentations IF thou bee a Christian and lookest for this inheritaunce or saluation thou must needes wholy depende vppon it and vtterly conteinne all earthly thynges thou must also confesse and openly affirme that all the vnderstandyng wisedome holinesse of this worlde is altogether nothing Wherfore thou must looke for no other but that the worlde will condemne and persecute thee And therefore hath Sainct Peter rightlie ioyned together these three Faithe Hope and the crosse or affliction for asmuche as one of these proceedeth out of an other Howbeit he giueth no small comfort to them that suffer persecution for his woordes dooe sounde thus This heauinesse shall endure but a little while afterward ye shall for euer reioyce For saluation is alreadie prepared for you wherfore bee in the meane season pacient in afflictions whiche ye suffer This is a right and Christian consolation not as the doctrines of men doe comfort whiche haue relation no further but to bee ridde and deliuered from outward discommodities The Apostle speaketh not here of any suche corporall comfort It is no discommoditie if outward troubles come with a good courage sustaine suffer ye theÌ„ thinke not how ye maie shake theim of and bee deliuerd from theim but rather thinke thus with your selues Mine inheritance is alreadie prepared these afflictions shall shortly cease So shall that temporall comfort bée taken awaie and that eternall consolation whiche wee haue in God supplie the place thereof Moreouer these words are diligently to be noted whiche the Apostle addeth when he saieth If neede require whiche in effect he vttereth also afterward Chapter 3. in these woordes If the will of God bee so There be many men which as it were with a certaine force striue to come vnto heauen and euen by and by to chruste in and therefore laye vpon them selues a crosse and an affliction accordyng to their owne opinion and iudgement so fondlie is reason giuen to extoll her owne woorkes But God vtterlie disalloweth all suche dealyng For our owne woorkes whiche wee make choise of are not of any force before hym we must looke what he will laie vppon vs and what he will sende vnto vs that we maie walke and followe whither he doeth lead and guide vs. Wherefore there is no neede why thou shouldest seeke or procure to thy self affliction If neede so require that is if it bee the will of God that thou shalte suffer then chearefullie take the Crosse vppon thee and comforte thy self with hope and expectation of that saluation whiche is not temporall but eternall That the triall of your faith being much more precious then golde that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be founde c. THis is the effect of the crosse and of those manifolde affictions whiche wee suffer in this life that syncere faith maie bee knowne from that whiche is false and counterfait And
thee Vaine therefore are al those thynges whiche hitherto haue been obtruded and preached vnto vs by the Schoolemen insomuche as thei were without this knowledge of Christ and entred commonly no further in consideration thereof but onely to thinke how muche sorrowe and greef our Lorde Christ sustained in his passion as though that now he sitteth idle in heauen takyng no further care for vs but ioiyng with hym self whereby the peoples hartes remaine vtterly drie without the right vse of that heauenly dew and water of their soules so that no liuely faithe can growe or take roote in them Now Christe ought not thus to bee preached as that he liueth and raigneth for hym self but that he is ours For other wise what neede was it for hym to descende into the worlde and to shedde his precious blood Sith then he was sent into the worlde that by hym the worlde might bee saued as be hymself in the third of Ihon declareth needefull it was that he should accomplishe and performe that selfsame thyng for the whiche he was sent of his Father For this woorde sent or commyng is not to be vnderstoode of the diuine Nature of Christe onely but rather of his humaine Nature and office whiche he bore and executed Immediately after he was Baptized he beganne to deale in this his office and to doe that wherevnto he was sent and for whiche he came into the worlde Namely to shewe and declare the truthe vnto menne that as many as beleeued in hym should bee saued After this sorte therefore hee openly published hymself woorkyng the meanes that he might be knowne and offring Grace by his owne self vnto vs. As obedient children SO behaue your selues as becommeth obedient children Obedience in the Scriptures signifieth Faithe but the Pope with his Doctorlie Schoolemen and Cloistered Diuines hath with their Gloses mangled this woorde and wrested it to the maintenaunce of their lyes and trifles as thei haue dooen whatsoeuer els is reade in the Scriptures concernyng this obedience As namely that notable saiyng 1. Reg. 15. Obedience is better then Sacrifice after that thei sawe how highlie Obedience was commended in the Scriptures thei haled and forced the same as proper vnto theim selues thereby to blinde the worlde and to bryng menne into this errour to thinke that the Obedience so greatly commended in Scriptures is nothyng els then to embrace and allowe what soeuer thei should enioyne and laie vppon theim And by this meanes doe thei drawe vs from the Woorde of God to their liyng Legendaries and Deuelishe obedience Whereas in deede he is the obedient child of God that heareth the Gospell and woorde of GOD and with Faithe embraceth the same Therefore whatsoeuer is not the Woorde giue no eare vnto it but rather stampe and tread it vnder thy feete Not fashionyng your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignoraunce BEE not of those maners that you were of before neither haue you suche conuersation as aforetyme you haue had let no man see that life in you whiche heretofore you haue ledde and liued Heretofore you were Idolaters and liued in luste Surphette Drunkennesse Couetousnesse Pride Wrathe Enuie and Hatred whiche was an euill and Heathennishe life yea rather mere infidelitie and in this desperate and forlorne conuersation you walked as blinde and ignoraunt not wottyng what you did Now therefore put ye awaie these euil desires Here thou seest how he imputeth all these mischeeues vnto Ignoraunce as vnto the Spring out of whom thei procede and flowe For where perfect faithe and true knowledge of Christ is lackyng there can be nothing els then Errour and blindnesse so that menne liue vtterly ignoraunt what is right or what is wrong and thereby runne headlong without stoppe or staie into all mischeeues and inconueniences After this sort hitherto haue wee been dealt withall when as Christe was darkened and almoste abolished and banished out of the worlde when in steede of truthe wee were nozzeled in Errour and in place of the sincere knowledge of the Truth wee were fast chained and clogged in Ignorance in so muche that within a while this question was mooued and debated all the worlde ouer how and by what meanes wee might attaine felicitie This was an infallible signe of Blindnesse and ignoraunce and that the sincere knowledge of Faithe was extinct and taken awaie Herevpon it grewe that the worlde was pestered with suche a number of Sectes and all thynges torne a sonder and disordered while euery manne framed after his owne imagination a peculier and seuerall waie for hymself to heauen And out of this Euill sith wee are not able any waie to helpe our selues wee can not choose but alwaies bee drowned deeper and deeper in the gapyng gulphe of vtter blindenesse And therefore sainct Peters woordes here are as if he should saie You haue long inough walked in foolishnesse now caste the same awaie from you as beeyng wise and hauyng raught vnto the true knowledge But as he whiche hath called you is holie euen so bee ye holie in all maner of conuersation Because it is witten Bee ye holie for I am holie HEre doeth Sainct Peter alledge a place out of the old Testament in the 19. of Leuitie where the Lorde saieth Bee ye holie for I am holie that is to saie Because I am your Lorde and God and you my people meete it is that you should bee as I am For he that rightly and throughly plaieth the parte of a Lorde in deede bendeth his care to make his people like vnto hymself dutifully in eche respect to behaue them selues towardes hym and frame theim selues seruiceable to his will Herevpon it falleth out that as our Lorde and God is holie so also should his people bee holie and that is when we walke in faithe Verie little mention is made in the Scriptures of any Sainctes or holie men departed out of this life but alwaies in a maner it speaketh of those holie menne that as yet were aliue as the Prophet Dauid pronounceth himself holie in the 86. Psalme saiyng Preserue thou my Soule Lorde for I am holie But our smatteryng doctorlie Diuines and Schoolemen haue also misconstrued peruerted the true sense of this place saiyng that the Prophete hath a peculier reuelation in that he calleth himself Holie Wherein thei flatly bewraie themselues bothe to lacke Faithe and also to be vtterly vnacquainted with this reuelation of Christ for if thei had any thei might easely by the effect feele in them selues the power therof For he that is a Christian hath a feelyng of suche reuelation in his conscience and he that hath no feelyng of it the same is no Christiā For he that is a Christian commeth into a Communion with Christ and is partaker with him of all his goodnesse and therfore seyng that Christ is holie his members must also needes be holie or els deny that Christe is holie For if thou bee Baptized thou haste put on the garment of holinesse whiche is Christe
stabished in the present truth For I think it meete as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp by puttyng you in remembraunce Seyng I knowe that the tyme is at hande that I must laie doune this my tabernacle euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me I will endeuour therefore alwaies that ye also maye be able to haue remembraunce of these thinges after my departyng For wee followed not deceiuable fables when wee opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christ but with our eyes wee sawe his maiestie For he receiued of God the Father honor and glorie when there came suche a voyce to hym from the excellent glorie This is my beloued Sonne in whō I am well pleased And this voyce we heard when it came from heauen beyng with hym in the holy mount Wee haue also a moste sure worde of the Prophetes to the whiche ye doe well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the daie dawne and the daie starre arise in your hartes So that ye first knowe this that no prophesie in the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation For the prophesie came not in olde tyme by the will of man but holiemen of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Simon Peter a Seruaunt and an Apostle of Iesus Christ to you whiche haue obteined like precious Faithe with vs by the righteousnesse of our GOD and Sauiour Iesus Christ AS in the former Epistle so in this wee haue bothe a Subscription and an Inscription That wee maie knowe bothe who writeth it and to whom it is written namelie to them that zealously heare the Woorde of GOD and constantly stande by Faithe in the sincere profession of the same But what Faithe meaneth he Euē that saith he whiche is by the righteousnesse of God In whiche woordes he ascribeth Iustification to Faithe onely euen as S. Paule Roma j. saieth In the Gospell the righteousnesse of GOD is reueiled from Faithe to Faithe as it is written The iuste shall liue by Faithe Sainct Peter therefore warneth them to stand readie not to be beguiled nor to suffer the doctrine of Faithe whiche thei had receiued and learned to slippe awaie from thē And whereas he here peculierly speaketh of the Righteousnesse of God he thereby excludeth and putteth backe all humaine Iustice For it is Faithe onely that iustifieth vs before GOD and therefore Faithe is called the Righteousnesse of God For before the worlde it is nothyng accoumpted of nay it is rather persecuted and flatly condemned Grace and peace bee multiplied to you by the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lorde THis is an vsuall Salutation wont to bee prefixed at the beginnyng of Letters and Epistles The meanyng whereof is thus I wishe vnto you the encrease of Grace and peace and that ye maie bee therewith enriched euery daie more and more Whiche grace issueth and floweth from the knowledge of GOD and of our Lorde Iesu Christ as if he should saie This Grace no manne can haue vnlesse he haue withall the knowledge of God and of our Lorde Iesus Christ Of this knowledge of GOD aswell the Apostles as the Prophetes dooe verie often and almoste continually make mention in the holie Scriptures as Esaie the xj In all my holie hill thei shall not hurte nor destroye for the Earth shalbe full of the knowledge of the Lorde as the waters that couer the Sea That is The knowledge of God shall bee as plentifull and abundaunt as the waters of the swellyng Sea when it breaketh out and surroundeth some whole Countrey And here hence shall suche peace and tranquillitie presently ensue that no man shal seeke to molest or damnifie an other But this is not to knowe God if thou dooe but onely beleeue that God is Almightie and that he hath created and made all thynges and that Christ was borne of the virgine Marie suffred death and rose againe for thus muche doe the Turkes Iewes and Deuilles beleeue But the true knowledge of GOD is this That thou haue a feelyng of hym in thyne harte conscience and that thou be certainly perswaded that God and his Christ is thy God and thy Christ whiche belief the Deuilles and false counterfaite Christians haue not neither can haue Therefore the knowledge of God is nothing els then a sounde and entire Faithe in Christ For when thou thus fullie knowest GOD and Christe thou wilte moste gladlie resigne and committe thy self vnto hym and firmely beleeue and trust in hym aswell in aduersitie as in prosperitie in death aswell as in life This settled confidence and sure trust can not bee in theim that haue euill consciences that is in theim that want true and sincere Faithe For thei knowe GOD none otherwise but that he is the God of S. Peter and of all the Sainctes in Heauen But for their God thei dooe not knowe hym neitheir haue any feelyng of hym but haue hym and take hym rather as their heauie tormentour and angrie Iudge To haue GOD is to haue all Grace all Mercie and all goodnesse that can bee named To haue Christe is to haue a Sauiour and a Mediatour who hath brought vs vnto God and made hym now all ours and at whose handes he hath obtained for vs all Grace and Blessyng All these thynges thou muste drawe and applie to thy self and not doubte but that Christ is thyne and thou Christes And this is the true knowledge of Christ An vmnaried woman seyng a man maie saie this is a Manne but she can not saie this is my Manne or my Housebande In like sort all of vs can saie This is God But all of vs can not saie that he is our God because wee dooe not all of vs beleeue and trust in hym and comfort our selues onely in hym and by hym This true knowledge of GOD the Scripture tearmeth the face and Countenaunce of the Lorde whereof the Prophetes speake verie copiouslie For thei that see not his face and knowe hym not doe see but onely his hinder partes that is doe see hym as their angrie and displeased God whereas if thei sawe his face that is if thei had the true knowledge of hym by Faith thei should behold and see nothing but Grace and Mercie Wee see here how sainct Peter in this his seconde Epistle purposely entreateth not of Faithe for he largelie discoursed therevppon in his former Epistle but his purpose is in this to write an Exhortation to them whiche beleeue that thei should shewe forthe their Faithe by Good workes For he would not haue Faithe to bee without Good woorkes nor Good woorkes without Faithe But firste he requireth in vs Faithe and Faithe beeyng once surely grounded to shewe foorthe Good woorkes And therefore he addeth According as his godlie power hath giuen vnto vs all thynges that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse WHen wee throughlie knowe God by Faithe wee are possessed of the franke gift of all
of Christe but shall tremble and quake for feare and be loathe â—odye wishyng rather still in this life to lye be dred sicke and diseased then once to dye or exchaunge this life for any other Wherefore I will not bee negligent to put you alwaies in remembraunce of these thynges though that ye haue knowledge and bee stablished in the present truth OF this we haue oftentymes spoken afore Albeit GOD hath caused a great light to shine vnto vs in this so mercifull a manifestation of the Gospell so that we both now know what a Christian life is and also what Christian Doctrine meaneth and dooe also see the skope of the whole Scripture to tend to none other ende but this yet neuerthelesse it is expedient and necessarie still to perseuere and go forwarde in preachyng and teachyng without ceassyng and to â—terate inâ—â—lke the self same doctrine from daie to daie if not to learne yet to bee admonished and put in remembraunce of doctrine before learned and receiued For there are twoo Offices in the Church as S. Paule teacheth Rom. xij the one consisteth in Teaching the other in Exhorting He that teacheth let hym take heede to his teaching and doctrine and he that exhorteth to his exhortation Rom. xij Teachyng is where wee laie the foundation of Faithe and preache the Gospell to them that haue not yet heard any thyng thereof Exhortyng or admonishyng is as here sainct Peter saieth to preache to them that haue bothe heard and learned the same afore to encourage them manfully to proceede and continue in their well begonne enterprise and to awake and stirre vp their dull and drowsie natures to goe on forwarde from steppe to steppe and from degree to degree euery daie more and more We are all cladde and laden with this olde rotten Sacke our Fleshe and Bloud which stil pulleth vs doune and draweth vs the wrong waie whereby the Soule is easily â—ulled asleepe and brought into securitie And therefore it is very behâ—mâ—â—ful and necessarie for vs to bee continually exercised euen as a good householder keepeth his Seruauntes and Familie still occupied and calleth vppon them to looke to their businesse leaste they should growe into ydlenesse Now if the dulnesse of our nature bee suche that it must bee called vppon and put in mynde to dooe thinges expedient and behoouefull for externall foode and maintenaunce of the Bodie how muche more conuenient and meete is it that the same bee vsed and putte in practise in matters appertainyng to the Spirite and Soule For I thinke it meete as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stirre you vp by puttyng you in remembraunce SAinct Peter here calleth his Body a Tabernacle wherin the Soule for a time saiourneth and it is a muche like phraze to that whiche is vsed in the former Epistle wher he called the Body of the Woman a Vessell or Droun And after the like sorte speaketh S. Paule ij Cor. v. Wee knowe that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with haÌ„ds but eternall in the Heauens for the whiche we sigh desiryng to be clothed with our house whiche is from Heauen For so long as wee are in this Tabernacle wee sigh and are hurdened c. And againe But wee are comforted and are bold in this that wee knowe that whiles wee are in the bodie wee are absent from the Lorde But wee had leifer to remoue out of the Bodie and to dwell with the Lorde Here wee see S. Paule calleth this Bodie of ours an House makyng two maner of Dwellynges and twoo maner of Peregâ—inatioÌ„s or absences from home By which phraze of speeche Sainct Peter also here in this place calleth this Bodie a Tabernacle for the Soule to soiourne in by whiche name he doeth muche extenuate the reputation that is commonly made of it and also seth it lower then moste parte of men accoumpt of it for he doeth not call it an House but a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 poore Cotage such as seelie Sheepeheardes vse to dwell in The house is slender and contemptible but the treasure that is laied vp and kept in it is riche and precious Seeyng I knowe that the tyme is at hande that I must laie downe this my Tabernacle euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me I will endeuour therefore alwaies that ye also may be able to haue remembraunce of these thinges after my departyng SAinct Peter here testifieth of himself that he is assured of eternall life and that by speciall reuelation from the Lorde he knewe when he should dye all which was doen for our sakes and to confirme and strengthen our Faith For it was very expedient and necessarie that there should bee some suche men that had in themselues a certain perswasion and sure knowledge of their electioÌ„ who might establishe laie the foundation of Faith in others whereby it might bee out of all doubt knowen that they preached not the dreames and fantasies of men but the true and sincere Worde of God Whiche men before thei came to that assuraunce and certaintie God throughly tryed and prooued Therefore saieth sainct Peter I will not onely with my liuely voyce admonishe and put you in remembraunce but I will also committ these my admonitions to writyng and leaue my exhortations written for your directions and instructions that after my death aswell as in my life tyme ye maie bee thereof put in minde by others and bee called vpon to obserue and put the same in vre practise Beholde here what a vigilant care this Apostle had for the safegarde and saluation of Soules and yet neuerthelesse wee see through the malice of Sathan what shamelesse shiftes and cogging marchaundize hath been and still is made of them For wee followed not deceiuable fables when we opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lorde Iesus Christe but with our eyes wee sawe his Maiestie For he receiued of God the Father honor and glorie when there came such a â—oyce to hym from the excellent glorie This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And this voyce we heard when it came from heauen beyng with hym in the holy mount HEre S. Peter bringeth in the hystorie of the transfiguration of Christe vppon the Mount written by the Euangelist Mathewe Chapt. xvij Wherein is declared how the Lorde Iesus tooke three of his Disciples viz. Peter Iames and Iohn into an high Mountaine and was there transfigured before them his face shinyng as the Sunne and his clothes beyng white as the Light where also there appeared vnto them Moses and Elias talkyng with hym till at length a bright Cloude shadowed them and a voyce comming out of the Cloude saied This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare hym Whiche when the Disciples heard thei fell on their faces and were sore afraide Then Iesus came and touched them and saied Arise be not afraide
sawe their obstinate perseueraunce in Sinne My Spirite shall not alwaies striue with Manne because he is but fleshe his daies shalbe an hundreth and twentie yeres Genes vj. And a little after in the same Chapter I will destroye from the Earth the Man whom I haue created from Man to Beast to the creepyng thyng and to the Foule of the Heauen c. These wordes did Noah in his daiely Sermons preache and beate into their heades withall also buildyng the Arke accordyng as God had commaunded hym and that in the full space of an hundreth yeres But thei were so senselesse of their estate and so frozen in the dregges of their accustomed Synnes that thei laughed him to skorne and grewe still more and more obstinate and rebellious The Sinnes wherefore God brought the Floud vppon the Worlde as it appeareth in the same sixte Chapter of Genesis were that the Soonnes of God that is the Children of the holie Fathers degenerated from the Faith and knowledge wherein thei had been trained taught For seing the daughters of MeÌ„ that thei were faire thei tooke them wiues of all that thei liked Of whom were borne mightie Gyantes and lawlesse Tyrantes whiche did all thynges accordyng to their owne lustes and as beste liked themselues This was the cause why God punishing their sinnes drouned the whole Worlde And tourned the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrhe into ashes condemned them and ouerthrewe theÌ„ and made theim an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly THis third example is of the fiue Cities whiche God destroied as we read Genes xix Ezechiel also in his xvj Chapter speakyng hereof in the persone of God and appliyng his woordes by waie of vpbraidyng to Hierusalem saieth This was the iniquitio of thy Sister Sodom Pride fulnesse of Bread abundauÌ„ce of Idlenesse both in her and in her daughters neither did she strengthen the hande of the poore and needie but thei were hautie and committed abhomination before me therefore I tooke theim awaie as pleased me Sodome and Gomorrha and the Territories thereof till the Lorde destroyed them were as Moses witnesseth Genes xiij as the Paradise or gardein of the Lorde aboundyng and flowyng with plentie of Wine and Oile in theim all thynges that to the life of man were either necessarie delightfull or commodious were in moste aboundaunce to bee had in so muche that the common sorte beleeued that God hymself had chosen it for his owne peculier habitation and dwellyng And therefore as Moses in the same Chapter saith the people thereof were wicked and exceeding sinners against the Lorde leadyng their liues accordyng to the leuell of their owne leude lustes Whiche inordinate beastly and wicked lustes their owne vaine curiositie and the greate plentifull aboundaunce and Idlenesse whiche thei enioyed procured and brought vnto them As wee at this daie by experience doe set that the wealthier aâ—y Cities be the wantoner and dissoluter life the people therein lead but where Famine Penurie or other extremities pinche there the Citezeins are nothyng so muche giuen to loosenesse and Sinne. And therefore God vseth to exercise and enure those that be his and whom he loueth with hard cheere and slender pittaunces because they maie the better walke in integritie of life These therefore are the three dreadfull Examples wherewith S. Peter threateneth the vngodlie whiche he here aptly alledgeth and bringeth in as fitlie hittyng the persones of whoÌ„ he here speaketh who he saieth liued euen as these Sodomites and Gomorrheans did whose greeuous punishement is heere laied before them for their greater terrour And therefore these thynges agree in eche respect and verie fittly are to be applied namely and specially vnto the Pope with his Cardinalles Bisshoppes Munkes Friers Nunnes and all the rest of his filthie Spiritualtie and rumpwood retinue For thei beyng appoincted to be as it were Angels in the places of Apostles truely to preache and expounde the Woorde of God in steade of beyng suche Angelles for the name Angell is a worde of Office and not of Nature signifiyng a Messenger or an Embassadour wherevppon all Preachers of the Truthe who are the Messengers of GOD are called in the Scriptures Mala. ij j. Cor. xj by y e name of Angels thei do cary vs headlong with themselues into the dungeon of error and quite reuolte from their loyall allegiaunce to GOD by mere Pride and Apostacie like these of whom S. Peter here speaketh aduauncyng theimselues aboue God and will haue no Lorde ouer them but bee Lordes themselues and of them selues And yet will thei bee called Apostolicall hauyng nothyng in theim but onely a vaine braggyng shewe of the bare name and title as heere afore in this Chapter thei are named by the name Angelles who properly are not so This blasphemous route therefore of Pope and Popelynges for that thei haue conspired with the Deuill against God and denied hym that is their Creatour are kepte faste fettered in Chaines of darkenesse vnto damnation whose Iudgement as he saied afore ceasseth not neither dooeth their damnation sleepe although as yet it bee not fullie and completly come vpon them Againe thei bee herein also like vnto the old Worlde who although thei haue the Prophetes and the Woorde of GOD preached vnto them yet did thei blaspheme and as it were defy hym and as Moses writeth of them tooke to theim selues Wiues accordyng to their owne lustes and likynges and became mightie Tyrauntes and Gyantes in the earth Gen. vj. Now a little let vs see whether all the properties and dealynges reported by Moses to be in those men of the old World bee not nowe moste manifestly resiaunte and inuested in our Popishe Clergie For thei now be greate mightie and dreadfull Tyrauntes thei liue of all menne moste delicately moste riotouslie and euen as thei liste theimselues thei haue moste aboundaunt store and plentie of all thynges thei oppresse the Worlde and with their tyrannous exactions and bloodie cruelties ouercrowe all Christendome and yet maie no manne speake one woorde or once open his mouthe against them no not Kynges and Princes Againe if thei bee disposed to take a waie a mannes Wife or his daughter from hym thei maie with suche impunitie dooe it that no man maie dare so muche as complaine of their violence and if any doe complaine yet are thei themselues the iudges of the matter and so it shall be euen as good to saie nothyng at all for amendes hee shall haue none at all Finallie by all the shiftes and driftes by all the waies and meanes that thei can possibly deuise to pill and poll robbe and spoile rake and scrape by cosonage pillage exaction tribute commaundementes licenses depredations and al other suttle trickes whatsoeuer thei hale and pull thei catche and snatche vnto theim without hoe without measure without conscience without shame And if any manne in any sorte laye his lawfull claime or touche any thyng whiche thei pretende to be theirs and whiche thei haue in theirs
wherein God himself will dwell For he not onely dwelleth in the Heauens but euery where and therfore where he is there shall the elect also bee Wherefore beloued seeyng that ye looke for such thynges bee diligent that ye maie bee founde of hym in peace without spot and blamelesse FOrsomuche saieth he as ye haue escaped so great mischieues and daungers and shall come to suche and so great ioyes this ought not a little to moue you to contemne and despise all the thinges of the Worlde and with pacient myndes to suffer what aduersitie soeuer shalbe allotted vnto you and this is it that he saieth ye ought diligently to endeuour yourselues to liue without spot and blame and after this â—orce in peace to expect and looke for that daie And suppose that the long suffryng of our Lorde is saluation IN that hee so long spareth you and deferreth his iudgement and doth not by and by iudge you think ye it your greate gaine and auaile He hath cause enough to be angrie with you and euen by and by to take present reuenge vpon you but suche is his mercie and clemencie y t he spareth you pardoneth all your transgressions Euen as our beloued brother Paule accordyng to the wisedome giuen vnto hym wrote to you As one that in all his Epistles speaketh of these thinges among the whiche some thinges are hard to bee vnderstande which they that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest as thei do also other Scriptures vnto their owne destruction SAinct Peter here giueth expresse testimonie and allowaunce of the sounde doctrine contained in S. Paules Epistles whiche prooueth that this Epistle was written long after the Epistles of Paule And this is one of those places whereby a man maie take occasion to thinke that this Epistle was not written by S. Peter as also an other senteÌ„ce a little afore in this present Chapter expressed dooeth insinuate and purporte where he saieth that God would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentaunce For it seemeth to sauour of a lower spirite and to carie a meaner grace then to one inspired with an Apostolicall spirite is vsuall Yet is it not altogether incredible nor amisse to thinke this Epistle to bee written by Peter For seeyng that in this Epistle his purpose and meanyng was not to write of Faithe but of Loue and Charitie be purposely abazeth hymself in his Style as the nature of Charitie alwaies is to dooe to the intent thereby to humble hymself to his Neighbour as on the other part Faith alwaies mounteth and lifteth vp it self to Godwarde And this 〈◊〉 he well see would come to passe that many light and vnstable Spirites would wrest and wring inuert and peruert S. Paules wordes in sundrie places For that in his Epistles there are some Textes harde to bee vnderstoode as where he saieth that no man is iustified by workes but by Faithe onely Rom. iij. Againe that the Lawe was giuen to knowe Sinne. Rom. iiij vij And moreouer Where sinne abounded there grace abounded muche more Rom. v. and suche like places For assoone as they heare this they straight ways breake out into these or y e like speeches â—f it be thus we will liue ydlie and merilie wee will doe to good worke at all and yet shall wee neuerthelesse be saued and iustified and after this sorte euen nowadaies doe they â—aise on vs and shamefullie helpe vs faiyng that wee in our Sermons condemne and dispraise good Workes But wee maie not thinke it any meruaile or straunge thyng seeyng thei haue not spared to wrest and misconstrue S. Paules wordes Ye therefore beloued seyng ye knowe these thinges before beware lest ye bee also plucked awaie with the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse But growe in grace and in the knowledge of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe to him bee glorie bothe now and for euermore Amen SEyng therfore ye perfectly know all these thinges afore declared and are certainly giuen to vnderstande that many false Teachers shalbee chopped and foysted in among you to seduce the Worlde and many froward mockers shal wilfully mistake and wrest the Scriptures not beyng willyng to vnderstande them aright it greatly standeth you vpon to take good heede to your selues and moste carefully to beware of them least with their false and erroneous doctrine thei carie you awaie from the right Faithe but looke rather that ye dailie encrease in godlinesse and knowledge that from daie to daie through continuall preachyng and exercise of the Worde of God ye maie bee more and more confirmed and strengthenes And here wee are to beholde and note the greate care that the Apostle had ouer them which had now receiued the Faith whiche caused hym to write vnto them these twoo Epistles wherein is largely and plentifully layed doune al and whatsoeuer is expedient and necessarie for a Christian man to know yea concernyng those thynges also whiche are to come God graunt vnto vs his grace that we maie both rightly vnderstand also effectually keepe and obserue the same to the glorie of his holy and blessed name and to the comforte and consolation of our own Soules and consciences Amen ⧠THE GENERALL Epistle of S. Iude. IVDE a seruaunt of Iesus Christ and brother of Iames to theim whiche are called and sanctified of God the Father and reserued to Iesus Christ Mercie vnto you and peace and loue bee multiplied Beloued when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common Saluation it was needefull for me to write vnto you to exhorte you that ye should earnestly contende for the maintenaunce of the Faithe whiche was once giuen vnto the Sainctes For there are certaine men crept in whiche were before of old ordained to this condemnation vngodlie men thei are whiche tourne the grace of our God into wantonnesse and deny God the onely Lorde and our Lorde Iesus Christ I will therefore putt you in remembraunce forasmuche as ye once knewe this how that the Lorde after that he had deliuered the people out of Egypt destroied them afterward whiche beleeued not The Angelles also whiche kept not their first estate but lefte their owne habitation he hath reserued in euerlastyng chaines vnder darkenesse vnto the Iudgement of the greate daie As Sodom and Gomorrhe and the Cities about theim which in like maner as thei did coÌ„mitted fornicatioÌ„ followed strauÌ„ge Flesh are set forth for an ensample suffer the vengeance of eternall Fier Likewise notwithstaÌ„dyng these dreamers also defile the Fleshe and despise Gouernement and speake euill of theim that are in aucthoritie Yet Michaell the Archangell when he stroue against the Deuill and disputed aboute the bodie of Moses durste not blame hym with cursed speakyng but saieth The Lorde rebuke thee But these speake euill of those thynges whiche thei knowe not and whatsoeuer thynges thei knowe naturallie as beastes whiche are without â—eason in those thynges thei corrupt themselues Wo bee vnto them
contented with the common profession and generall appellation of Christians wherein eche one is to serue and doe good to his neighbour thei deuise and inuent certaine newe vpstart Sectes of their owne wherby thei feigne a false counterfaite seruice to Almightie God Furthermore thei are Naturall and fleshly as brute Beastes hauyng no more Spirite and vnderstandyng then hath an Horse or an Asse thei followe the iudgement of Nature and are caried awaie with the concupiscence and luste of the Fleshe Finallie thei haue not the Worde of GOD to direct and leade them how to frame their liues and conuersations But ye beloued edifie your selues in your moste holie Faithe praiyng in the holie Ghoste And keepe your selues in the loue of God IN these fewe woordes he hath briefly comprehended the whole summe effect of all true Christianitie Faith is the grounde worke and foundation wherevpon wee muste builde and this buildyng or edifiyng is daiely and howrely to profite and goe foreward in the knowledge of God and of our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche is not doen but by the operation of the holie Ghost Beeyng in this sort builded wee are not to dooe any Worke whereby to purchase and winne to our selues any Merite or Saluation but onely to profite and doe good to our neighbours And herein must wee haue a moste diligent care that wee continue and perseuere in true and sincere Loue without any intermission not as dooe these foolishe people whiche staie themselues vpon their owne rotten Workes and deuise certaine peculiar Sectes wherewith they drawe awaie and seduce men from brotherly Loue and Charitie Lookyng forthe mercie of our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto eternall life HEre is Hope taught and the Crosse commended For our life ought so to bee framed and ledde that it should bee nothyng els then a seruent sighyng and a longyng desire for the life to come But yet so that this our desire and longyng muste bee whollie staied vppon the onely mercie of Christe vnto whom wee muste ardently praie that it maie please hym euen of his owne mercie and not for any Merite that is in vs to take and traÌ„slate vs hence into the life to come where endlesse ioyes for euer abounde And haue coÌ„passion of some in puttyng difference And other saue with feare pullyng theim out of the fier THis place is somewhat darke and obscure to bee vnderstanded but yet this is the true meanyng thereof Haue ye compassion of some and saue some That is so leade your liues that it maie euen greeue you at the hart to see some so miserablie blinded and wilfully obstinate Reioyce ye not at their miserie neither take ye any pleasure or delite in their lamentable miscreauncie But meddle ye not with their Atheisme separate your selues from theim and haue no dealyng or companie with them Other some whom ye maie pull out of so greate a daunger saue and deliuer by fearyng theim and holding them backe with godlie seueritie deale with them courteously and gentlie euen as God hath dealt with you not roughly not ragyngly and sharpely but mieldely and Charitablie Dooe not with churlishe sternesse terrifie and so spoile theim but deale with theim as ye would with those that lye in the Fier whom ye ought with carefull diligence wisely to pul out and saue If thei bee not contented to be pulled out and deliuered thei are with gentle meanes and tender mercie to bee borne withall not as the Pope and his hereticall Rabbines vse is to bee burned and spoyled And hate euen the Garment spotted by the fleshe WE haue receiued the holie Ghost by Faith and thereby are wee purified but yet neuerthelesse so long as wee here â—â—tie this rotten sacke of Fleshe and Bloud still hangeth vpon vs which is neuer without whose swarmes of euill lustes And this is that spotted Garment which while wee here liue wee ought to laie aside and put of Now vnto him that is able to keepe you that ye fal not and to presente you faultlesse before the presence of his glorie with ioye That is to God onely wise our Sauiour be glorie and Maiestie and Dominion and Power bothe now and for euer Amen THis is the conclusion and end of this Epistle And thus are the Apostles wont in the ende of their Writynges Preachynges Exhortations Prophecies to praie to wishe and to giue thankes Wee see therefore in these two Epistles aswell this of Iude as that seconde of S. Peter what a true Christian life is and how wee maye discerne the sinceritie of that Doctrine which is pure Catholike and Christian from that whiche is corrupt counterfaite and altogether Antichristian FINIS