specyally the Apostell sayeth they were polluted and defyled And also that they followed straunge flesshe and not their owne flesshe they vsed that is to saye theire owne wyues in lawfull matrymonye but they folowed straunge flesshe that is to saye they dyd vse other mennes wyues maydens or virgynes immaculate or other women and also men vnlawfully contrarye vnto nature wyues vnto theyr lawfull housebandes be not called straunge Flesshe in the scrypture but the proper Flesshe of their husbandes as appereth by saint Paule Ephes quinto where saynct Paule exhorteth men to loue they re wyues as theyr owne bodyes for he that loueth his wife he loueth him self no man doth hate his owne bodye but he wyll norysshe and cherysshe it as the LORDE doth his churche and for this a man shall forsake his father and mother and shal be coupled to his wyfe and they shal be two in one flesh wherfore it is euydent that the flesshe of the wyfe to the husbande is not called straunge flâ—sshe this flesshe God dyd gyue to the man as a lawfull remedye for the infirmyte of the flesshe that by thys lawfull remedye had in matrimony matrimony all adultery fornycacyon shulde be eschued vtterly eriled Fordermore in that the Apostell sayth these sodomytes to haue folowed straunge fleshe He doth appere to note theym of vnclenlynes and sum fylthynes agaynst nature by the which they were polluted as apperith gene xix and sainct Paul Ro. i. But vnto what purpose be these thre exsamples brought in here of iude Truly to fere men from synne lesse they suffer lyke payns with them whome god punisshed for their synnes whiche paynes are more greuouse they shall not eskape whiche wyll not leue theyr synnes and repent but continue styll in synne and prouoke other vnto synne whether it be by their euell doctryne or euell example Suffre the paine of euerlasting fyre These wordes of the apostle sheweth playnly those synners spoken of before to suffre paynes of euerlastyng fyre wheresoeuer they be other in hel or in the aer it maketh no mater of the place where they be it is certayn that they suffre great paynes and punishmentes in euerlastynge fyre Therfore let euerye man beware to synne lecste they suffre lyke paynes in fyre worlde without ende as these doth to the whiche paines they shall be commytted by the iustyce of god that wyl not cease from synne and from breakynge gods commaundement Lykewyse these dremers defile the flesshe / despyse rulers / and speake euell of them that are in authoritie Iudas here teacheth certayne propertes of them whom he wylleth christen men to flee and eschue he calleth them dremers or mocked in dremes and deluded as one that dremeth is deluded by certayne vayne fantasyes or imagynacyons whiche he doth appeare to see or heare as he that dremeth thynkes sumtyme he heareth or â—eith that thynge whiche he nother dyd heare nor see or to be in a place where he is not or to haue these thynges that he hath not somtymes to be gladde sometimes ladde but when he wakes he perceyuith his dreme to be a vayne thynge of no certaynce of no trouth of a delusyon he is ashamed of his dreme he wolde that no man shulde knowe it he is ashamed to shewe it to any man he is coÌ„temneth it and setteth it at nought to these dremers Iude assembleth pseudapostelles false preachers preferrynge mennes lawes and mennes tradycyons aboue Goddes lawe or makynge theym equall with Gods worde or such as preache or sette vp mannes doctryne in the steede of Goddes worde these he assembleth vnto dremers and he calleth them dremers or deludyd by dremes but it shall chaunce vnto theym at the last yf it shal please god to open their eyes from their dremes make theym awake that they shall see that they haue dremed and that they haue bene deluded by dremes surely they shall perceyue theire dremes to haue bene folysshe vayne thynges of the whiche they maye be ashamed of Amongest these dremers whome sainct Iude doth speake of there hath ben some dremers deluded in dremes whiche hath dremed that they had power and authoritie of God to make for theire wyll and pleasure what they lyft and that thynge that they wolde shulde be takyn as an artycle of the fayth ye they dyd dreme that they had authorite to make articles of the faith Canons and rules whiche shoulde iustyfye and sanctifye men that they had authoryte to gyue pardon and indulgence whiche coulde absolue a pena et a culpa i. whiche culde delyuer from payne and from synne furdermore amonge these dremers sum hath dremed that they had power to remit synne and to gyue xl dayes or â— C. dayes of pardon or so many yeres or mo of pardoÌ„ for paynes due for synne that as ofte as it pleased them And this pardon they called the treasure of the churche whiche these dremers had in theyr handes to bestowe where they pleased And not onely they had this treasure for them selues that they shulde bestowe it at theyr pleasure that they onely shulde gyue dayes and yeres of pardon and remyt synne as ofte as it shulde please them but also they had it for other creatures without life as for a stocke a stone a pot a maser a boll as saynt Bedes boll saynt Edmundes boll that he that shuld drynke of these shulde haue xl dayes of pardon Of these yf he shulde drynke tyll he were dronken I suppose he shulde haue many dayes of pardon so by lykely hode they wolde haue made dronkennes a vertue a good thynge specially yf any man shulde drynke so he were dronken of that cup maser boll glasse or horne halowed or pardonned by these dremers how many yeres and dayes of pardon haue they graunted to these that come and visyteth this image or that image in suche a place or suche a place to this crucifix or that crucifix that is to say to this ymage of Chryst or that ymage in this place more then in that place feynynge god to do myracles because of the holynesse of the images and because he wolde haue those ymages honoured and worshipped of men What pardon hathe ben graunted to bedes halowed in suche a place to laces to knottes to staryons to Rome to saynt Iames of CoÌ„postel to saynct Thomas of Caunterburye and in the yere of grace clere remyssyon a pena et a culpa After this and suche lyke facions hath ben promysed infynyte dayes and yeares of pardon by these dremers And if they haue not dremed I reporte me vnto you that be awake your dreme is gone your eyes be open you be no more in suche dremes you be fully awaked thanked be god and our moost soueraygne lorde lorde kynge Henry the eyght whiche so entyerly loueth the veritye and the treweth of goddes gospell and wylleth it shall go forwardes and hateth all suche dremers dremyng of vanyties lyes promysyng suche thyngê by creatures which only Christ dyd
to other or any maner of iniurye or wronge in worde or in dede It was nedeful for me to write vnto you As who shulde saye I se it is so necessary for you that I coulde not refrayne but I must nedes wryte vnto you my charite so compelleth me perceyuynge it to be moche for your profyte to exhorte you to go forwarde in that true faythe receyued and to profyte in the same and to encrease it dayly more more And that you shuld not shrynke one heare brede from that true faythe whiche you haue receyued and which was gyuen vnto the saynctes of god by preachynge of the gospell as saynt Paule sayth RomÌ„ x. Fayth coÌ„meth of herynge herynge veryly by the worde of god He exhorteth them that they shulde continually labour in the fayth or be helpers to the fayth as Erasmus traÌ„slation hath whiche was ones gyuen to saynctes Here be two thynges to be noted for oure lernynge One is that he desyreth theym to be helpers of the faythe to the whiche men be helpers after this phrase of scripture whan they suffer not the fayth receyued to be weyke feble or inconstant to be oppressed with desyres or affections of the flesshe or of the worlde by the crafte or suttyltye of false prophetes to be brought a waye from it led in to a false belefe by false doctors whom the deuyll doth vse as his ministers to deceyue the symple people vn lerned Also scripture vseth to cal men helpers of the fayth when men do diligeÌ„tly watche that they be not deceyued by the deuyll nor by none of his ministers when they do labour with all force to make theyr fayth sure and stronge douttynge or haltynge in no part but by al meanes studyeth euery day to make their faith more stroÌ„ger stroÌ„ger by al maner of good warkes The other thynge that was here to be noted is that we shulde knowe fayth to be gyuen from aboue for he desireth them to be helpers to the sayth which was gyuen ones to sayntes Fayth is the worke of god it coÌ„meth of god as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth this is the warke of god that you shulde beleue in hym Saynt Paule wytnesseth the same sayinge Philip. i. Not onely it is gyuen to you that you shulde beleue in god but also that you shulde suffer for his sake Of these two places of scripture it is euident sayntes lyuynge or deed not to haue had fayth of them selfes or of theyr owne myght power but to haue receyued it of god which gyueth fayth to whom he wil when he wil although saint Paul saith faith to com of the heryng of the word of god which worde although many may here it yet no man shall beleue but he to whom god gyueth fayth and in whom god warketh fayth and beleue For there are certayne craftely crepte in / of whiche it was writen a fore tyme vnto such iudgement they are vngodly turne the grace of our lorde god vnto wantonnes and denye god the onely lorde and our lorde Iesus Chryste The apostel more at large sheweth the cause of his admonition whiche is to monyshe them that they shuld arme them selfes with sure armure defence to defende them agaynst false ê“phetes and that they shulde in any wyse take hede of them lest by the craft falshere of pseudapostels they shulde be deceyued alienated from the way of truth and from syncere doctryne of the gospel What maner of men were these pseudapostels false doctours in the seconde pistel of Peter ca. ii it is shewed more abundaÌ„tly And also here after shall be god wyllynge more playnly declared how they haue come in Iude here doth partly shew saying they haue craftely crepte in not playnly preachynge the gospel of god but darkly colouryng it with great pretence of holines mixting mans doctryne with gods word teachyng mans doctryne mans traditions dremes fantasyes of men in the stede of gods worde wyllynge perswadyng as great fayth as great authorite to be gyuen to the traditions writinges of men as to gods wordes gods holy pÌ„ceptes but these be euyll false doctors of god deputed to iudgement that they shuld suffer paynes vn to the day of iudgement and after that day that they shulde suffer more greuous paynes in body soule togyder seinge that now they suffer paynes punysh meÌ„tes only in the soule after the mynde of the doctors shal suffer in the soule only paynes to the day of iudgemeÌ„t after the daye of iudgement shall then suffer paynes and turmentes bothe in body soule as the doctors doth say They are vngodly and tourne the grace of our lorde god vnto wantonnes They be so vngodly so vngracious that they turne al that we haue of god and of his grace to fulfyll and satisfye theyr pleasures pluckyng to them selues hasty destruction eternall deth they are so euyll myscheuous full of all vnhappynes that they turne the free benefyte of god grace by the whiche Christ hath delyuered vs from synne deth hell deuyll and eternal dampnation and made vs innoceÌ„tes and free from all captiuitie of synne and set vs in innocency holynes whiche thing shuld moue vs to kepe innocency holynes they turne this libertie of the spiryte wherby men be set to do all good thynges and no euyll to do only those thynges to the whiche the spirite of god moueth and exhorteth These vngodly turne this liberty in to a carnall liberty in occation liberty to synne gyueth them selfe holly to wantonnes so lasciuiousnes to vnclenlines to bawdry to fornication to adultery other many vices synnes nor yet they are not so coÌ„tent but they denye their maister whiche hath redemed them by his precious blode they denye their maister not openly before al men playnly but secretely in corners crafâ—ely they denye theyr maister But when denye they thus theyr maister priuely and secretly Truly when they ascribe their iustification forgyuenes of synnes to any creature or to any warke by the might and power of the warke to any indulgence or pardon to masses ad scala celi to holy beades to kyssynge of images suche lyke and not to Christ Iesus and to his bloode shedde for vs to optayne vs remission of synne by whose bloode onely we were wasshed vs in from our synnes as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth Apoc. 1. He hath washed vs iÌ„ his blode from our synnes They denye the lord whiche ascrybeth remission of synnes to any other thynge then to Chryste his blode whiche thyng false ê“phetes dothe denyenge theyr mayster They turne the grace of god to wantonnes As who shulde say they were called and redemed with the precious bloode of Christe Iesus that they shulde lyue in all innocency puritie of life in all holynes godlynes But they be traÌ„slated turned froÌ„ all innocency puritie of lyfe turned to all maliciousnes wantonnes fylthines They
gyue vn to vs by his precious blode shed for vs on the crosse If remission of syn myght be gyuen by suche thynges then dyed Christ iÌ„ vayn then was Christ a foole to shede his blode to oprayne vs remission of synne seing remission of synne might haue com a more easier way thaÌ„ by sheding of Christê blode We be moche beholdyng to these dremers that they haue fouÌ„de a more easier way to opteyn forgyuenes of synne then Christ dyd fynde they be moche more wyser then Christ yf theyr inuention be true this is theyr dreme these that be awake do wel ynough perceyue theyr dremes to be vayne and vanite Suche men not without a sufficieÌ„t cause be talled dremers or deluded in dremes because we can not obteyne remissioÌ„ of synne but onely by Christ his bloode sayth saynt Paule Ephe. i. By Christ we be redemed by his bloode we haue remission of synne IoheÌ„s Apoca. i. He hath wasshed vs from synnes in his bloode If remyssyon of synne be by Christes bloode as it is in dede then it is not by the popes pardon by indulgence graunted by bysshoppes to this thynge or that thynge this cup pot or boll suche lyke Awake therfore you dremers yf any such yet be in a dreme and know your dremes to be vayne lies deceiue your self other no loÌ„ger the nyght is gone the daye is spronge vp the sonne shyneth all aboute thanked be god They defyle theyr flesshe Who be they that defile their flesshe Veryly they which lyue al togyder in deyntynes pleasure gyuynge them selues to all voluptuous pleasures of the flesshe folowyng theyr flesshly desyres appetytes in all pleasures that may be without feare of god or any shame of the worlde caryng for nothing so they may satisfye theyr carnall and beestly appetyte with voluptuousnes and pleasure whiche thynge is theyr chefe desyre wyl to fulfyl with pleasure theyr fleshly appetyte lust They despise rulers and speake euyll of them that be in authorytye Iude sheweth more of their propertyes he sayth they despyse rulers and speke euil of them that be in authorite Here Iude reproucth checketh pseudapostelles specially for two vices the one is that they pollute theyr flesshe defyle it lyuynge in voluptuousnes pleasure oâ— theyr flesshe the other is that they despyse rulers that is to say outwarde powers ordeyned of god vnder god they contemne speake euyll of comon rulers comoÌ„ officers But how despise they rulers Truly when they despyse nothyng regardes emperours kynges princis lordes comon mynisters of the comon welth do not honour cheym reuerence to them as honour shuld be gyuen to hye powers vnder god not obeyinge their lawful and iust coÌ„mauÌ„dementes for the comon welth but eremptyng them selues froÌ„ the obedience of hie powers and other also chalengynge authoritie power aboue kynges princis which authoritie power aboue kynges princis to be in this worlde saynt Paule dyd not knowe coÌ„maundynge euery man to be obedient to the hye powers sayinge RomÌ„ xiii Let euery man be obedient to the hye powers he that resysteth power he resysteth the ordynaunce of god and he that resisteth the ordynaunce of god he taketh to hym iudgement Of ciuyle power saynct Paule dothe appere to speake Saynt Peter confirmeth the same thing saying i. Petri. ii Be you subiecte to all maner of creatures for god whether it be the kynge as moost hyest or it be dukes as of hym sent to the punyshement of euyll men or to the prayse of good men Consyder gentyl reader yf the eremptions grauÌ„ted by the byshop of Rome by the whiche he hath erempted hym selfe many other relygyous howses and relygyouse men as they call theym and other spirituall men called from the obedyence of Cyuyle rulers and powers and wyll not be obedient to princis kynges but be aboue them haue princis kynges at theyr coÌ„maundement and they not obedient to the iust lawfull coÌ„mauÌ„dement of princis of kynges and of other comon mynisters appoynted by kynges princis for the comon welth Loke gentyl reader yf this exemption come not of hym which contempneth rulers Doth not this exemptioÌ„ or priuilege exempte men from dewe obedience to theyr superyour powers to whome saynt Paule RomÌ„ xiii saynt Peter i. Petri. ii coÌ„maundeth euery man to be obediente to superyour powers lette eueryman be obedient be he religiouse man be he other let no man thynke hym selfe to be exempted from the superiour powers as from the kynges grace his officers appointed by hym to be rulers in this realme for any exemptioÌ„ or priuilege grauÌ„ted by the bysshoppe of Rome whiche hath none suche authoryte by God graunted that he maye exempte men from the authoritie and obedyence to their superior powers to whome Saincte Paule commaundeth euerye man to be obedyent Roma xiii Hebreorum xiii Two vyces Iude notyth in thes pseudapostles the one that they contempne powers the other that they speake euell on them yet Mychaell the Archangell / when he stroue against the deuell / and dysputed about the bodye of Moyses durste not geue raylyng sentence / but sayde the Lorde rebuke the. Iudas sheweth these pseudeapostells speakyng euell of the hye powers ordynated of God to be more bolder then Mychaell the Archangell sent to fyght against the deuel whom he durst not curse nor speake euell of yf the Archaungell of God Mychaell durst not nor wolde not curse the deuel nor speke euel of him how moch more shulde not pseudeapostells curse good men and iust men put of god in authorite and in hye power to whom euery man shulde gyue due obedyence and be redy to do all lawfull commaundementes and not to resyst to curse or to speke euell of the hye powers to whoÌ„ honour reuerence and obedience must be geuen accordynge to the mynde of saincte Paule Roma xiii gyue vnto all men that is due Gyue honoure to whome honoure is due gyue feare to whome feare is due gyue trybute and custome to whome they be due c. This place of Iude is a straunge and rare place scarse was founde in any other place in Scrypture therfore this Epystell of Iude was reiected of the fathers because this place scarse was founde in any other place of scripture that made mencyon that Michael dyd fyght with the deuell as touching the bodye of Moises of what occasyon this contempcyon dyd spring vp be cause scrypture coÌ„mendeth Moyses so gretly saieng no prophet to haue bene in Israell like to Moses as it is written Num. xii sayth scrypture Moyses was meke aboue al them that dwelled in the erth and a lytel after that saith if any shal be amonge you a prophet of the lorde in visyon I wyll appere to hym or by slepe I wyll speke to him but not such is my seruaunt Moses which is most saythfullest in al my house I do speke to hym mouth by mouth openly not by