Worlde This is alreadie saieth Iude begunne to bee put in practise For wee reade that this mischiefe of Bishoppes seeking Lordly authoritie and higher prerogatiue then other Christians beganne aboue a thousande yeares agoe whiche thyng in the Epistles of Hierome is euidently to bee seen And deny GOD the onely Lorde and our Lorde Iesus Christ SO also writeth Sainct Peter in his Christs But that Deniyng as it is there and here in 〈◊〉 is not with the mouthe for outwardly in woordes thei confesse that GOD is the Lords but in their woorkes and dealynges thei flatly deny the Lorde Christ not acknowledgyng hym to bee their Lorde but chalenge rather a Lordinesse and predenimation vnto themselues For when as thei Preache that Fastyng Pilgrimage buildyng of Abbaies Chastitie Obedience Pouertie and suche like is the right high waie to felicitie thei thâ—reâ—â— miserablie seduce and drawe men from the truthe to them wretched Workes vtterly suppressyng concealyng and keepyng Christ doune Which is no lesse then if thei should saie Christ auaileth that nothyng neither can his woorkes and 〈◊〉 fires any whitte helpe thee Thou must needes trust to thy self and merite Heauen with thyne owne Workes And thus thei â—â—ny the Lorde who hath bought and redeemed vs with his owne precious bloud as S. Peter afore declared I will therefore putte you in remembraune for as muche as ye onto knewe this how that the Lorde after that he had deliuered the people out of Aegipt destroied them afterward whiche beleeued not The Angels also whiche kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation he hath reserued in euerlastyng chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the greate daie As Sodome and Gomorrhe and the Cities aboute them whiche in like maner as thei did committed Fornication and followed strange fleshe are sett forthe for an ensample and 〈◊〉 the vengeaunce of eternall Fier HEre he inferreth three seuerall examples whereof the two last are meÌ„tioned why S. Peter One onely he here addeth more and 〈◊〉 it of the children of Isral whom God by many wonders brought out of the Lande of Egipt and who for their vnbelief dyed in the Wildernesse and were destroyed so that of sixe hundreth thousande men beside women and children vnder twentie yeares that came out of Egipt there were left no moe but onely twaine Num. xj This example he bringeth for an admonition and terrour as if hee should saie let those that are called by the name of Christians and vnder colour thereof turne the grace of God into wantonnesse take heede and looke well to themselues least that happen vnto them whiche light vppon the Israelites And truely since the tyme that blind Poperie beganne and the clere light of the Gospell was couered and restrained from beeing publiquely preached one plague hath still fallen in the necke of an other whereby GOD hath still from tyme to tyme taken reuenge of the vnbeleeuers and giuen them ouer into the very Iawes of Sathan Likewise notwithstandyng these Dreamers also defile the fleshe THese Doctors Teachers he calleth Dreamers because that as when one dreameth he thynketh himself to haue somewhat and to see many thynges whiche in truth are but vaine phantasies and when he awaketh and seeth himself to haue nothyng then perceiueth he all to bee but a dreame so maketh he no accoumpt thereof So whatsoeuer these iuggling Rabbines and Lordly maisters doe saie is nothyng but mere dreames whiche they shall one daie when their eyes shalbee opened well finde and know to haue been nothyng at all And namely when thei goe about to perswade men that their shauen crounes their forked Cappes their wilfull Pouertie their counterfaite Chastitie their vowed Obedience suche like trashe and guegawes are thinges very acceptable vnto God Herein they merueilouslie bleaâ—â— themselues in their owne imaginations and thinke themselues to see that whiche in deede is but false and phantasticall and no better then a very fonde and foolishe dreame as in truthe all this their trashe and tromperie is before God nothyng els but mere dreames and lyes Therefore in callyng them Dreamers he did very wel and hit them home with their right name for that with their dreames they seduce and beguile bothe themselues and the Worlde This vice of liuyng looselie and wantonlie the Apostles doe peculiarly attribute and ascribe to those whiche bee greazed Priestes and marked Baalamites God long agoe foretolde vs that they should bee a Sect liuyng without Wiues And Daniell also prophecying of the kyngdome of the Pope foretolde long agoe that their lust should be vpon women Dan. xj because he foresawe that thei would be suche as could not abide to bee linked in lawfull mariage with any women but burne in lust and wicked concupiscence And this is one of the outwarde iolie vertues not muche vnlike to that their other inwarde properties namely that they are dreamyng Sleepers And despise gouernemente and speake euill of theÌ„ that are in aucthoritie THeir third qualitie is that thei refuse to bee subiecte to the Temporall Sworde and Ciuile Magistrate But wee knowe and so teache that so long as wee liue vppon Earth wee are bounde by the Worde of GOD to yeeld our obedience vnto Magistrates For the Faithe of Christe doeth not violate infringe and disanull externall Pollicie and therefore it is not lawfull for any man to exempt hymself from his obedience toward them Wherevpon we see it plainly and consequently prooued that the Popes Canons and Decrees touchyng Ecclesiasticall Immunitie bee nothyng but verie deuises and inuentions of Sathan Yet Michael the Archangell wheÌ„ he stroue against the Deuill and disputed about the bodie of Moses durst not blame hym with cursed speakyng but saied The Lorde rebuke thee THis is one of the places for the whiche this Epistle was of the old Fathers not allowed and receiued for Canonicall because he here alledgeth an example whiche is not read els where in any place within the whole bodie of the Bible Namely that Michaell the Archangell contended with the Deuill about the bodie of Moses This contention some thinke grewe herevpon because there are so many notable stories written of Moses namelie in the laste of Deuter where wee reade that the Angell of God buried hym but that no man knoweth of his Sepulchre where it is vnto this daie Againe because the Scripture testifieth of hym in the same Chapter that there arose not a Prophete in Israell like vnto Moses whom the Lorde knewe face to face c. Seyng therefore in what greate estimation and reuerence Moses was among the Iewes some of the Interpreters and Expositors that write vpon that same laste Chapter of Deut. saie that Moses was buried by God and that his Sepulchre was neuer hitherto knowen or founde by any man Whiche God did to the intente the Iewes should bee kept from all occasion of committyng Idolatrie whereinto thei might easily and quickly haue slipped if thei had had the bodie of so noble and renoumed a
A COMMENtarie or Exposition vppon the twoo Epistles generall of Sainct Peter and that of Sainct JVDE First faithfullie gathered out of the Lectures and Preachinges of that worthie Instrumente in Goddes Churche Doctour Martine Luther And now out of Latine for the singuler benefite and comfort of the Godlie familiarlie translated into Englishe by Thomas Newton ¶ Imprinted at London for Abraham Veale dwellyng in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Lābe 1581. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HOnourable Sir Thomas Bromeley Knight one of her Maiesties moste honourable priuie Counsell and Lorde Chauncelor of Englande THE translation of these godlie and comfortable Commentaries of Maister Luther vpon the Epistles generall of the blessed Apostles Peter and Jude beeyng fullie finished and brought to an ende it was the easiest matter of many where to bethink mee of a fitte Patrone vnder whom to shield the labours of so worthie an Organe in the Churche of God and myne owne trauailes therein suche as thei bee frō the rancorous rout of suche bawlyng Baalites and arrogant Apistes as with open Iawes will bee readie to barke at the sounde doctrine of Faithe and Maners by hym heerein with a moste bolde spirite maintained and vttered I was I saie soone resolued with my self to settle my choise in your Lordshippe of whose cheerefull acceptaunce suche is your Godlie zeale J could not any whitte doubte And of whose courteous construction of my honest and harmelesse meanyng heerein suche is your honourable inclination J deemed it almoste hainous to put any diffidence or to harbour within mee so muche as a sparke or Mite of the leaste suspition None so wilfullie blinde nor so witleslie bee sotted but hath bothe seene and knowen what a generall benefite it pleased the Lorde in mercie to shewe vnto the worlde beeyng almoste whollie whelmed in the Suddes of Superstition and desperatelie drowned in the Dregges of Jdolatrie by the ministerie of this one man opposyng hymself in defence of the glorious Gospell of GOD againste all the Pedlarie of Pope and Popelynges and againste all the rable of Cozenyng Caterpillers in the Kyngdome of Darkenesse characterized and brended with the marke of the Beast The triflyng trashe and ridiculous rifferaffe of whiche Cacolike Synagogue for so is it muche rather to bee tearmed then Catholike this man with so vehement and zealous a spirite hath so throughlie anatomized and vnripped ◠by suche ineuitable reasons out of the infallible VVorde of God ouerthrowen and confuted that the rotten ragges thereof can not possiblie bee eft soones peeced The crackte credite of suche Motheaten stuffe neuer againe salued nor the totteryng walles of suche a roistyng and ruffianly raigne euer any more after the former galantise be reared vp reestablished In so muche that it maie bee thought that our mercifull God pitiyng the miserable thraldome wherin his people vnder that Romishe Pharao had long laine captiued and in his Justice meanyng at length to ridde the worlde of those deade Flies whiche did nothyng els but corrupte and tainte sweete Ointmentes and as it were to launce those Botches and Biles that so long had festured in the bodie of the Common wealthe of Jsraell appointed and raised vp this man to bee as the Malle that should knocke that blasphemous Goliah in the pate and the Leeche that should applie vnto him his greazed generatiō suche a strong Pill whiche thei should neuer bee able to swallowe His life also conuersation beyng so vnblameable that the starkest Balaamite and spightfullest Rabbine emong them of whiche stampe there neuer wanteth stoare could neuer iustlie reprooue hym of faultes other then suche as generally followe the infirmitie of Man Jn so muche as that reuerend and renoumed Clerke Erasmus whose testimonie herein maie stande for many and the rather for that he somewhat to muche the more pitie for priuate respectes bolstered and plastered the deformities and blottes of the Romishe Clergie pleasauntly by waie of answere to a question mooued vnto hym by the good Duke of Saxony saied that the onely reason why poore Luther was so deadly hated was for none other cause but for that by his preaching and writing hee had taken awaie the Croune from the Pope and Bishoppes and the Beallie from the Monkes and that otherwise he was bothe a Godlie a learned a vertuous and a modest man Jn the compassyng and atchieuyng whereof little meruaile was it though in his Style and maner of writyng he seemed to some to bee ouer crabbed seuere sharpe and bityng For saied he to remooue sharpe grosse diseases God hath sent in this laste age of the VVorlde a sharpe austere Phisition And as wee reade of the Repairers of Battered Hierusalem that with the one hande thei builte the VValles and with the other helde their sweard to bee readie to encounter the enemie So maie wee saie of Luther that he with the one halfe of his studie combated and conflicted with the Aduersaries of Gods truthe and with the other halfe generallie benefited the Churche by pennyng writing sundrie notable enarrations vpon the Sacred Scriptures and Catholique Religion How valiauntlie also hee plaied the Christian Champion againste Meritemongers and all Clouters vp of their Saluation with the Figgeleaues of their owne wretched VVoorkes and condignitie and what an vndaunted Hercules he shewed hymself in choppyng of still those succreasyng heades of that Jtalian Hydra sundrie his learned Bookes plentifullie and at large declare and this VVoorke emong many others doeth sufficientlie attestifie The whiche with all humilitie J heere offer and exhibite vnto your lordship assuring my self that for your approued wisedome you will not onely allowe of it but also for the high Authoritie wherein you are worthilie placed you will accordyngly countenaunce it The Lorde from heauen blesse and strengthen you with his Spirite of zeale fortitude and boldnesse to be a Buttresse and Proppe for the propagation passage and continuaunce of his glorious Gospell emong vs your poore Countreimen of this noble Realme of Englande to the encoragement of all true Professours of the same and to the vtter terrour extirpation and weedyng out of all cancarde aduersaries and malicious Grinnagods beyng not onelie prickes in the feete and Thornes in the eyes but euen splintes in the handes and Daggers at the hartes of all the godlie That by the prudent pollicie and carefull vigilancie of your Honour with others her Maiesties moste Noble and zelous Counsellours all dolledrenche Drones maie bee espied and caste out of the Hiue of the Common wealthe and either bee conuerted least vtterly thei perishe or spedily confounded least thei procure and breed more treacherous annoiance From Butley in Chesshire this first of October 1581. Your L. moste humble Thomas Newton The argument of this first Epistle of S. Peter by M. Luther ¶ Before wee fall in hande with the interpretation of this Epistle it shall bee verie requisite first to laye downe vnto the Reader some briefe admonition whereby he may knowe bothe how it
how we ought to behaue our selues in our workes and dealinges towards our Neighbor The seconde Chapter WHerefore laiyng aside al maliciousnesse and all guile and dissimulation and enuie and all euill speakyng As newe borne babes desire that sincere milke of the worde that ye may growe thereby If so bee that ye haue tasted how bountifull the Lorde is To whom commyng as vnto a liuing stone disalowed of men but chosen of God and precious Ye also as liuely stones bee made a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beleeueth therein shall not be ashamed Vnto you therefore whiche beleeue it is precious but vnto them whiche be disobedient the stone which the builders disalowed the same is made the head of the corner And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them whiche stumble at the worde beeyng disobedient vnto the whiche thyng they were euen ordeined But ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a people set at libertie that ye shoulde shewe forthe the vertues of hym that hath called you out of darkenesse into his merueilous light Whiche in tyme past wore not a people yet are now the people of God which in tyme past were not vnder mercie but now haue obtained mercie Dearely beloued I beseche you as strāgers pilgrims absteine from fleshly lustes whiche fight against the soule And haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they whiche speake euill of you as of euill doers maie by your good woorkes whiche they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation Therefore submitte your selues vnto all maner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it bee vnto the King as vnto the superiour Or vnto gouernours as vnto thē that are sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well For so is the will of God that by well doyng ye maie put to silence the ignorance of the foolishe men As free and not as hauyng the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the seruantes of God Honor al men loue brotherly fellowship feare God honour the Kyng Seruants bee subiect to your maisters with all feare not onely to the good courteous but also to the froward For this is thankeworthie if a man for conscience towarde God endure griefe sufferyng wrongfully For what praise is it if when ye bee buffeted for your faultes ye take it paciently but and if when ye doe well ye suffer wrong and take it paciently this is acceptable to God For hereunto ye are called for Christe also suffered for you leauyng you an ensample that ye should follow his steppes Who did no sinne neither was there guile founde in his mouth Who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffred he threatened not but committed it to hym that iudgeth righteously Who his owne self bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree that wee beyng dead to sinne should liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed For ye were as sheepe goyng astraye but are now returned vnto the sheepherde and bishoppe of your soules HEre beginneth he to teache vs the right works of a Christiā life the true fruites of the same Wee haue oftentymes afore shewed that in these two thinges Faithe towardes God and Loue towarde our neighbour doeth consist and is contained the whole life of a Christian Also that this Faith of Christe is not giuen to any but that there remaine neuerthelesse in our fleshe so long as wee here liue many naughtie concupiscences lustes and desires sithins that none here in this worlde can be so holie but that he liueth in the fleshe and whatsoeuer is in the flesh the same can not be perfectly cleane Therefore saieth sainct Peter be ye so instructed that ye may abstaine frō the Sinnes which as yet adhere and cleaue vnto you and against them see that ye continually fight for those be the most daūgerous and most pernicious enemies that we haue which lye within our owne bosomes and in the middest of our fleshe and bloud dooe watche sleepe and liue with vs as it were some troublesome Guest of whom when a man hath once harboured and taken hym into his house he can not againe be ridde Wherefore seeing that Christ through Faith is all and wholly yours and that you bee now possessed of his sauyng healthe and all other his benefites and graces knowe ye now that this charge and duetie lyeth vppon you that you laie aside all maliciousnesse or whatsoeuer is euill all guile that is that none deale with an other vnfaithfullie and dissemblinglie let there not bee seene any falshood in fellowshippe amōg you as the prouerbe is neither any craft and treacherie whiche God hee knoweth is now adaies too rise But as it becommeth vs that bee Christians in all poinctes towarde God to deale not feinedly and crookedly but directly sincerely and with a pure harte so also towardes men it is our partes to deale plainly simply and iustly that no man ouerreache or vndermyne an other in buying selling or suche like So saieth sainct Paule Ephes 4. Put awaie liyng and let euery man speake truthe vnto his neighbour The truthe is this that your speeche bee yea yea and naye naye Dissembling is when one sheweth him self an other maner of man outwardly then he is inwardly in minde affected It behoueth therefore and is required of euery man that he beare and shew hym self suche outwardlie as hee is in deede and in harte inwardlie A Christian ought so to liue that he maie not care though all men see and knowe what he thinketh in his harte as he that in all his conuersation and life seeketh nothyng els but to glorifie God and to be seruiceable vnto his neighbour not fearing any man at all For euery one ought to shewe hymself suche an one in the verie secretes of his minde as he is outwardly accoumpted and not vnder the visor of honestie to deceiue and bleare the eyes of the people Sainct Peter further saieth that wee must also laye aside Enuie and euill speakinges Wherein hee doeth very aptlie and well reproue those vices that among men are vsuall and common in their mutuall traffiques and dealinges This vice of euill speakyng is a sinne now adaies very common and rife quickly slipped into and sooner committed then a man would weene Therefore take heede to your selues saieth he of this fault yea although ye haue the Spirite to the intent that ye maie by proofe know what be the fruictes of the Spirite As newe borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the worde that ye maie growe thereby HEre hee bryngeth in a similitude and his meaning thereby is this ye now are newe borne by the worde of God and therefore so
and selflikyng of theimselues trustyng in their owne Merites Woorkes and rotten Ceremonies Thei beleeue that Christ the Sonne of God in his humanitie suffred death and rose againe the third daie that he is the Sauiour of the worlde c. but thei doe not firmely and onely trust in hym for if thei did thei would not so scrupulously bee tied to their owne Lowsie trashe and beggerly Traditions After the same maner did thei beare the Laitie in hande that they could not attaine to saluation except they did after their directions Ye are Christians saie thei we confesse but this is not enough ye must doe suche and suche good workes ye must build Churches in the honor of this and that Sainct ye must erect and founde Monasteries and Abbayes ye must buie certaine Trentalles of Masses to be saied or song for you ye must pyue awaie your selues with fastyng and suche like Thus haue the séely poore people been beguiled and thus haue thei been perswaded and brought to shew themselues as well likers of these trumperies thinkyng it to be the Kynges high waie to heauen and these rotten workes of blinde deuotion to be of all workes the best because they sawe them which caried the tytle of the Church to allowe and followe the same so that in processe of tyme there grewe to bee as many Factions Sectes and Religions as there were Cities yea almoste as there were Men. Whereas they should rather haue taught them thus Ye are Christians aswell as thei that bee an hundred myles distant from you ye haue all one Christ one Baptisme one Faith one Spirite one Worde one God there is no worke that ye of your selues are able to doe towarde your saluation or able to bring you to the perfection of a right Christian If this Doctrine might generally bee preached men should be kept in the fellowshippe and vnitie of one Common Faith neither would there bee any difference at all in thinges appertainyng to God but all would be alike and one the same that an other is This Communion and vnitie thei haue broken and disioynted in that thei seduce and misleade vs in teachyng vs that wee must merite heauen by our Workes drawyng vs thereby from Faith to our own Pharisâ—icall deedes S. Peters wordes therefore if he bee well marked caâ—ie this meanyng There shall arise among you Sophisticall Scholemen Doctors Teachers Priestes Munkes and suche like beyng the very offall and Skumme of the Worlde who shall bryng in pernicious sectes odible orders damnable heresies and seduce the Worlde with their lying and false Doctrines These these doubtlesse are thei of whom the Apostle here speaketh For thei are all thus perswaded and verely beleeue that their willfully Professed Orders are meritorious to theÌ„ and shall bryng them to saluation and perswade others also to put confidence and trust in them If this were not their opinion who would thinke but thei would rather liue free abroade then as thei do cage and empound themselues in their Cloysters as it were in Prisons Euen denying the Lorde that hath bought them THei are readie to saie that thei doe not denye the Lord but if this question be demaunded of them what thei meane or what they seeke to get through these their vowed ProfessioÌ„s if thei beleeue as thei saie thei doe that they are redéemed by Christ and that their sinnes are washed awaie by his bloud Thei will quickly aunswere that forsooth Faith alone is not sufficient and therefore they must haue the helpe of good Workes Thus with mouth they confesse God and in harte flatly renounce hym Consider also what pithie and vehement words S. Peter here vseth They denye saieth he the Lord that hath bought them Thei ought to bee subiect vnto hym as vnto their supreme Souereigne Lord whose inheritaunce thei are Now they dooe beleeue that he is the Lorde and that he redeemed the worlde by the sheadyng of his precious bloud but that he redeemed them thei cannot nor doe not beleeus neither dooe thei acknowledge and take hym for their Lorde for thei saye and confesse that he hath bought and redeemed them but yet thei are not perswaded that that is enough and sufficient because thei must thei saie discharge and satisfie for their sinnes by their Works To whom this answere maie wel be made If thou canst doe any worke to take awaie thy Synnes what good hath Christe by his death doen vnto thee For there can not bee twoo Christes to take awaie Synnes Hee as good right it is must bee acknowledged to be the onely Redeemer and taker awaie of Sinnes Whiche beeyng graunted to bee true as it is moste true thou thy self canst dooe no maner of worke to take away thy sinnes If thou do goe about or think any whit by thy works to merite Heauen thou canst not truly saie thou beleeuest that he taketh awaie thy Sinnes And this is flatly to denye Christe For although these fellowes doe acknowledge Christe to bee the Lorde yet doe they denye that he bought them Thei beleeue that he sitteth in heauen and is Lorde but the takyng awaie of Sinnes whiche is his proper and peculier office thei nippe and take quite from hym and attribute it vnto their owne woorkes and by that meanes leaue nothyng to hym but the bare name and tytle ascribyng his power woorke vertue and office vnto themselues And therefore Christ moste truely foretolde that there should come many in his name and saie I am Christ and shal deceiue many Math. xxiiij Mar. xiij For these Iusticiaries and Meritemongers thus tying Saluation to Woorkes shewe foorth in their so doyng as though they should saie not I am called Christe but I am Christ Whereby thei snatch and applye vnto themselues that office whiche is onely proper and peculier vnto Christ and so thrust Christ out of his seate and place themselues therein This is so euidently knowen that no man can truely denye it And therefore worthily doeth S. Peter tearme them damnable pernicious Heresies for thei leade a man straight to Hell insomuche that I greatly feare least in a thousande of them there is scarcely one saued For whosoeuer of them wilbee saued must quight abandon himself and all that of himself he hath or can doe yea he must franckly confesse and from the harte pronounce these wordes The rules of my vowed Obedience are nothyng worth my Chastitie can not saue me my workes can not take awaie any parte of my Sinnes c. And bryng vpon themselues swift damnation THeir damnation shall come vppon them sooner then thei thinke although God seeme to deferre his commyng and to tarie long yet will he hasten his iudgment and come tyme enough to their cost But this shall not bee corporallie and visiblie to the eye but so and in suche sorte as it is sett downe in the l.v. Psalme They shall not liue out halfe their dayes that is Death shall catch holde of them sooner then thei think so that thei
expectation reserued sorthe last daie and commyng of the Lorde whether the same come and approche with speede or staie yet somewhat longer And of all their cruell speakynges whiche wicked synners haue spoken against hym IN these wordes he both reprooueth their life and reprehendeth their saiynges and it is as much as if he should saie Thei speake presumptuously and malapertly against the Lord and against his commyng they bee impudent and tooto arrogant thei deryde and blaspheme hym as S. Peter also in his Epistle writeth of them He speaketh not here of their life as it is defiled and deformed with sinnes and iniquities but as it is giuen ouer and entierly addicted to woorke all impietie I call that Impietie when the life is led without Faith although the outwarde conuersation bee not altogether flagitious and damnable Euill works be in deede the fruictes of Impietie but Impietie it self is properly called that life whiche glittereth outwardly with a gaie shew of hypocriticall workes whereas the harte is vtterly voyde of Faithe Suche impious persons saieth he the Lord will reproue because the presumptuous doctrine whiche thei boldly teache thei stiflie defende and obstinately maintaine leanyng alwaies to their owne brainsicke glosses and constructions and not sufferyng themselues to bee conuerted and turned to the truthe but are harder then the Flint and will neuer desist from condemnyng and blasphemyng the doctrine of true godlinesse Here we see how liuely these wordes of Enoch paint out and describe these kinde of persons that are and should foyst themselues into the Churche towarde the latter ende of the Worlde whiche vndoubtly are y e Papistes as to euery man euidently appeareth These are murmurers complainers walkyng after their owne lustes whose mouthes speake proude thynges IF a man finde fault with their dealynges and reproue them as vnlawful and dissonaunt to the Worde of God he shalbee sure to bryng himself thereby into a pecke of troubles they will murmure repine and gnashe their teeth at him As for example if a man should but leaue out or omit any peece or parte of the Bishoppes ordinarie style and wonted tytle they straightwaies with open throates crye out Contempt and Disobedience There is no waie left to withstand their lawlesse lustes and selfwilled dealinges for thei bragge that they haue power bothe ouer our bodies ouer our soules thei haue gotten into their handes bothe the Swordes so that they can not bee compelled by Lawe to dooe that is iust and right and that any man should preache against them that can thei not at any hand abide They haue exempted thēselues and all theirs from all maner of taxe tribute and imposition so that no man dare once touche any thing that belongeth vnto them finallie thei are growen to that degree of tyrannie that no man dare presume to preache a worde contrarie to the order of their peeuish Proceedings To alledge any Scriptures against them it is altogether bootelesse for they saie that none maie expoūd or enterprete the same sauing thei themselues By which meanes it is come to passe that in all places and in all thinges they liue as licentiously as thei list For these saiynges can not bee wrested or applied against vs professours of the true Gospell for that wee reuerently and dutifully submitt our selues and yeeld our obedience aswell to the Scriptures as to the ciuile Power from bothe whiche thei wilbe free and not compellable by any Last of al their Decrees and Cannons be pestered and thwacked full of proude arrogant and swellyng wordes vtterly voyde of all good and godlinesse Hauing mens persones in admiration because of a vantage THis hitteth their natures and dispositions very iumpe for thei iudge all thinges accordyng to the person In all the whole Popes Canons ye shall not once finde it commaunded that the Bisshoppe should humble himself beneath the poore Parishe Priest nor any of the fruictes of a Christian life whatsoeuer But al thinges rather sounde thus Let the Curate bee vnder the Priest the Priest vnder the Bisshoppe the Bisshoppe vnder the Archbishoppe the Archbishoppe vnder the Patriarch and the Patriarch vnder the Pope Finallie how euery one should weare his Habite his Amyse his Weede and Cowle after what fashion he should clippe his hayre shaue his crowne and beard and make his apparaile how many Benifices and how many Prebendes he might keepe c. Thus thei brought all thinges to certaine externall Ceremonies and traditions of their own makyng and wholly occupied themselues in mere childishe foolish and friuolous trifles which thei had in greate accoūpt and estimation yea thei iudged it no lesse then deadly sinne if any man should refuse to adore reuerence these their boyishe toyes And therefore very well saieth Iude in this place Thei haue mens persons in admiratiō for thei lappe vp their lewd and loude lyes in vizardes of hypocrisie and only admire those gaie shewes that are visiblie obiect to the eye All this while thei neuer speake woorde neither knowe any thyng as they should knowe of Faith of Charitie or of the Crosse And yet the poore vulgare people suffer themselues still to be beesotted with these Popishe Bugges and thinke themselues to doe very acceptable seruice to God in giuing all their Goods Substaunce and Patrimonie to feede these filthie Swine in the Stye of this their lewd sensualitie But ye beloued remember the woordes whiche were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christ How that thei told you that there should be mockers in the laste tyme whiche should walke after their owne vngodlie lustes THis place also giueth some occasion to thinke that this Epistle was not written by Saincte Iude the Apostle because the Aucthour hereof reckeneth not hymself among the other Apostles but speaketh so of theim as though thei had preached long before his tyme whereby it maie well bee thought that this was rather written by some other godlie man that had read Sainct Peters Epistle and out of it culled and gathered these woordes and Sentences Who these mockers bee wee haue afore declared and who thei also bee that walke after their owne lustes not onely carnall and fleshely lustes but those rather that sauour of horrible impietie wherin thei liue in eche respect accordyng to their owne inordinate desires neither reuerencyng the Ciuile Magistrate nor obeiyng the Worde of God but liue so loosely and contemptuously that thei neither obediently acknowledge any externall nor yet internal Gouernement Al Lawes aswell Diuine as Humaine thei flatly despise and sette at naught and so flye in the Aire in the middle betweene Heauen and Earth euen as thei are hoised vp and caried aloft by their Maister the Deuill These are makers of sectes Fleshely hauyng not the Spirite HEre he alludeth to that whiche sainct Peter in his Epistle saied That there should come false Teachers whiche priuilie should bryng in damnable heresies These are thei that disobediently breake asunder the vnitie of Faithe and beyng not
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