tymes doth blysse lâ—nâ—tify men but peraduenture theâ—e that be thus blessed of meÌ„ be cursid of god Of suche that be only sancrifyed of men not of God Iudas doth not here speke but ofsoche as be sanctifyed of GOD wheder they be cursed or blessed of meÌ„ and surely these be sanctyfyed Some peraduenture wyll aske who be they that be blessed and sanctifyed of God trewely all they whome Christe hath sanctyfyed in his bloude wassheth theyr synnes in his bloode that hath faith and doth beleue their synnes only to be taken awaye by Christe his blode shed for their remissyon of syns and whithe wyll beleue surely tyll they dye these be they whiche be truly halowed sanctified in god the father and these be holy and blessed whether men do blesse them or turse theÌ„ other there be that be sanctifyed as of men as of the pope of the cardynals of byshops or of Abbottes but these be not hooly nor blessed excepte that Christe hath sanctifyed them in his blode and haue remyssyon of theyr synnes by Iesus Christe whiche thinge they beleue surely or elles they be not sanctifyed of God nor blessed be they neuer so often tymes blessed of the Popes holy hande and all his thre Crosses with all the myters of his Cardydnalles bysshoppes Oftimes it fortuneth god to curse theym whome men do blysse and the contrary those to be blessed of GOD whoÌ„ men do curse as god doth speake by his Prophet sayenge I wyll blysse your cursynges and contrary I wyll curse youre blessynges For as moche as this Apostell Iudas wrote to them that were aliue whom he sayde was sanctifyed it is euidente this worde sanctum or sanctifycatum in scripture for the most parte to be takynge for hooly men that lyueth that is to say for good faythfull men and not onely for those that be departed hence and called vnto the number of hooly sainctes in heauen whome the churche of Rome hath canonyzat and only calleth sainctes They that after that waies only wyll take this worde sanctumin holy scripture they erre froÌ„ the trueth and giueth greate occasyon of impiete to other and maketh many to erre in takynge of scrypture in the trewe sence These men bringe great darknes to scripture they make scripture darke and wyll not suffer hooly scripture to be ryght vnderstande but do alyenat and plucke awaye from the true and proper sence of the holy ghost the faythfull Christen reader whiche desyreth to haue the true intellygence of scripture Howe can they truely vnderstande saint Paules pistell which he wrote to the samctes that were at Rome yf they wyll take this worde sanctum or sancti for sainctes that be departed Sainet Paull in a maner wrote all his epysteles to sainctes as it doth appere in a maner throughe al his epystels in the beginnynge How can it be but these men whiche taketh sayntes only for them that be departed but they must nedes counte Saincte Paule for an ideot foole which wrote his epystelles to the Sainctes departed whiche coulde not reade them nor yet when they were redde culde heare them or vnderstande theym or any fruyte or profyte take of them or any thyng gather of them to obtayne true fayth or to fassyon good manners to fle synne and iniquytie for Sainctes that be departed be passed the state of this present lyfe It is euydent therfore that Sainct Paule calleth good and faythfull christen men lyuing after the lawe of GOD in fayth and in charyte Saintes althoughe they lyue in this presente lyfe or howe coulde any man truely vnderstande this pystell of Iude whiche Iudas dedycated to sainctes yf sainctes were only taken for sainctes departed this lyfe Iudas thadeus wrote to them that were a lyue wherfore it is manyfest thys worde sainctes must be taken in holy scripture as well for Sainctes being a liue in this present lyfe as for sainctes that be departed For sainctes beinge a lyue taketh saincte Paule this worde sayntes oftymes as it appereth Rom. xv Ephe. pri Colocen pri and ofter it is so taken then other wayes Because many hath not taken this worde saynctes in scrypture for good men lyuynge but only for hooly men departed And also because saint Paul desyreth oftymes the prayers of sainctes for hym as is written Roma xv and sainctes they toke only for sainctes departed seinge there is no scrypture to perswade vs to pray to saintes departed no coÌ„maundmeÌ„t of god lesse in holy scripture that I do remember no promyse that we shal optayne our peticyon yf we praye to the sainctes but all scrypture doth perswade Ye commaunde to praye to God whiche is the gyuer of all that is good he byddeth aske of hym and we shall haue Iacobi primo Math. septi To praye to God perswadeth all holy scripture Math. vi and also promyseth that we shall not aske in vayne but that we shall optayne our peticyon yf we aske as we shulde do and in fayth nothing douttynge but we shall optayne that we desyre yf it be to the glory of God and for our profite to receyue it How prayenge to Sainttes dyd come vp I haue shewed myne opynyon To praye vnto Sainctes that they maye praye with vs vnto GOD I thynke it not euell I thynke it a very good and laudable custome and maye be well vsed so that men make not sayntes theyr patrones and gyuers of that thynge that they desyre as many hath done in tymes past and put more trust more coÌ„fidence in a saynt then in god therfore they beynge in any peryll or icopardye wolde renne to this image or that image oâ— suche a saint before god Thus the ignorant people hath preferred the sayntes before god put more trust more coÌ„fidence more helpe more succour in a saynt then in god yea I fere me that many hath put their trust helpe and succour in an image made of stone or of wode by mans hande done great reuerence honour to the image beleuynge great vertue great holynes to be in that image aboue other images and therfore that image must haue a veluer cote hanged all with brouches of syluer and moche syluer hanged aboute it on it with moche lyght before it and alwayes candels burnynge before that image whiche candle may neuer go forth nor be put out that light before the image to be put forth it is a great fautâ—and some thinketh that the image wolde take a vengeaunce on suche that shuld do it whiche thynge I wolde no man shulde do in contemnynge the saynt whose image there is but I wolde haue this euyl opynyon out of the symple harte that they shuld esteme images after the valowe as they be and put no more holynes in one image then in an other no more vertue in one than in an other It holdeth the symple people in great blyndnes and maketh them to put great trust great holynes in images because one image is called our lady
to saye the grace fanoure peace and mercye of God to be multyplyed to all Christen men and wemen Iudas the seruaunt of Iesus Christ In these wordes is shewed who was the Author of this pystell that is to saye one Iudas not Isearyoth the betrayer of Christ but an other Iudas by name Thadeus called the brother of Christ Here obserue these two men both called Iudas both Apostles of Christ the one of them to be good the other euell Here you maye learne good reader no dyfference to be betwene a good man an euell man as touchynge their names and offyces as you do se the author of this pystel to be a good man the seruaunte and the Apostle of Christe althoughe he was called Iudas and agreeth in name with hym that betrayed Christe yet his name Iudas made hym not euell So lyke wyse Iudas Iscarioth all thoughe be agreeth in name with this Iudas his name made hym not good It is not the outwarde name ne offyce that maketh a man or woman good but it is the grace of God and perseueraunce there in that maketh a man good Therfore let vs learne here not alwayes to iudge according to the outwarde apperaunce For yf we iudge after that facion we shall be deceyued yf any wolde iudge after the outwarde apperaunce and after the opynyon of men who wolde not iudge and preferre Iudas the betrayer of Christ before Iudas the author of this pystell and saye that he was moche better man then was Iudas Thadeus in that Christe made hym hys purse bearer and ouerseer of his house sheweth to hym more fauoure as dyd outwarde appere then he dyd to this Iudas Thadeus And yet Iudas Ischaryoth was euell and the chylde of perdicyon The other Iudas Thadeus was good and the chylde of saluacyon althoughe the iudgemente of the worlde was other wayes Here lerne the iudgement of the worlde and of the outwarde apperaunce to the eye often tymes to be deceyuable and deceyue men oftimes Therfore fayth is not alwayes to be geuē vnto the outward apperaunce or to the opinyon of men For men iudgeth these thynges that doth appere God beholdeth the herte and the inwarde affection of the minde oftymes it chaunceth these to be leste with God and fardest from his fauoure whome men doth iudge to be fyrst and hyest in the fauoure of God Paraduenture men iudgeth Popes Cardynalles Legates Bysshoppes Archebyshoppes Abbottes Decayns Prelates Pryors Monkes Channons Preestes Fryers obseruantes cartusyans and suche lyke to be more in fauoure with God then laye men or lay women when God peraduenture doth preferre laye men before all them And more hath in his fauoure the poore symple lay man or lay woman then the hyest bysshop pope or cardinall for God is not the acceptor of persons nor he dothe not iudge and esteme men after outwarde face and outwarde apperaunce but after the inwarde affeccyon of the mynde and purenesse of herte Iudas by interpretacyon sygnyfyeth confessyon or knowledge It becōmeth vs to be Iudas that is to saie as to knowe and confesse Iesus Christe and hym crucifyed only oure redemer Iustifyer and Sauyor Yf we beleue Christ to be our only Iustifyer then wyl we not beleue our workes to iustifye vs or able to pourge vs from our synne nor yet the Popes bullys Pardons or any indulgencis graunted by Popes Cardinalles or Bysshoppes halowed bedes or messys ad Scala cely may purge vs from synne or take awaye oure synne by strength of the worke it selfe For if remissyon of syn myght be had by the strenght of any worke in it selfe then Christe dyed in vayne then his death is not to vs so precyouse but some warke myght haue bene to vs as precyouse as his death whiche thing God forbid that any man shulde say or yet thynke The seruaunt of Iesus Christe In these he sheweth his office or dewtie sayenge that he is a seruaunte He calleth hym selfe not a Lorde a mayster a Kynge an Emperour to be aboue Kinges and Prynces and that Kynges shulde knele kysse his fete but he calleth hym a seruaunt not of euery one as of men to plese men to be a man pleaser and to preache these thynges that shulde please men and to plaie the legate of men of the worlde But he calleth hymselfe the seruaunt of God and his offyce or duety to be to please God to confesse Christ Iesus openly and playnly euery where and in all places to playe the Legate of Christe Iesus to preache Goddes wordes boldely withoute all feare without all drede amonge all men The Apostell here in these wordes he checketh and rebuketh these that be asshamed to confesse them selues to be the seruauntes of God that be asshamed to preathe Goddes worde purely and syncerly that for feare of men for hynderaunce of lucre or aduauntage wyll not openly confesse the trueth of Goddes gospel nor yet suffer other to do it nor be wyllynge that other shal shewe it for feare of decay of their honoure promocyon dignytie frendeshyppe of men lucre or aduauntage Also the Apostell checketh all these that wyll not preache Goddes worde but mannes tradicyons mannes phantasyes and dremes mannes learning and mans inuencyons and that for the worde of God and in the stede of the worde of God These be they that be men pleasers and studyes rather to please man then GOD. But suche be not the seruauntes of God but the seruauntes of men whome they studye to please These be not the seruauntes of Iesus Christe nor his trewe Apostles althoughe in wordes sumtymes they may call them selues the seruauntes of Christ and his Apostles yet they be not the seruauntes of Christe nor his Apostells but they be false Apostelles as Iudas Iscaryoth was and with hym are to be numered and reckenned and with hym shal haue their rewarde in hell The brother of Iames. These wordes be added les any man shulde thynke Iudas Iscaryoth the betrayer of Christ Iesus to be the author of this pystell and for to knowe Iudas Thadeus whiche was the author of this epystel from Iudas the betraier of Christ Then it is not lyke Yee let no man thynke that Iudas put in these wordes for any vayne glorye or any aduaunsynge of hym selfe that he was the brother of Christ or his kynsman all suche carnall affeceyon was farre from his mynde To those that be called / and in god the father halowed and by Iesus Christ preserued Nowe sheweth the Apostell vnto whome this Epistell was wrytten it was written not onely to the Iewes but also to the Gentyls to all men beleuinge in Christe it was written indifferently to all that be called eyther by secret and preuy inspiracyon or by open preachynge of the worde of God to beleue in Christe Iesus whiche in God the father be sanctifyed But theare is many that is sanctifyed or blessed but not of God but of man as of Popes cardynalles bysshops Abbottes whiche weryth their myters and other
iudgemeÌ„t of the people towardes these pseudapostels of the symple people they be câ—unted to be the worshyp honour and ornament of all charitie of all vertue but yf they be nerely loked on they are not that thyng that they be counted to be they are not the honour nor the beauty but they 〈◊〉 the very fyithynes it selfe and the very spoâ—â—es of whom coÌ„meth and spryngeth that thynge that befoâ—meth the hole face the hole body Furthermore in that he sayth that they be the spottes amonges your charytyes as Erasmus traÌ„slation hath an other thynge he doth appere to saye as who shulde say they by crafâ—e suttelty falshede hypocrysye and symulation hath goten of you great rychesse great possessions landes and tenementes whiche you haue gyuen to theym of your charitie supposyng that they were the honoure the worshyp the beautye of the worlde and that in them were all holynesse and nothynge buâ— holynesse that they were the lyghtes and lanternes of Chrystes religyon the very trewe patrones to folowe in all holynes of lyfe after whome men shulde fourine and fassyon theyr lyues And for that cause what some euer you dyd gyue to theym of your charytye you thought it well bestowed supposynge that they take onely necessaryes for them selues the resydue to bestowe after the best fassyon But it is not so saythe Iude as you thynke they be not the honour and beautye of men but they be the spottes that disfygureth men they be the pestilence and destruction to men yf they be in wardly consydered I graunte they be eâ—amplâ—rs and patrones but of all euyll and mischefe Of you they haue goten ryches and substaunce by crafte by falsehede hypocrysye and symulacyon but as they 〈…〉 goten theyr goodes euyll so they s 〈…〉 them euyll as the coÌ„mon sayinge is euyll goten euyll gone ye ofte tymes it chaunceth that thynge whiche is euyll gotten to be worse sâ—ence rychesse gotten of your charytye by hypocrisye and simulacion they do not spende them in the feadynge of poore people in warkes of charytye but in mutuall feastes to great men to ryche men byenge promotion and dignitye gyuynge great rewardes to suche as nede not to optayne faâ—oure of men they spende theyr rychesse in mutuall bankettynge and feastynge in goodly delycate fare in feadynge of horses and dogges I wyll not saye all These men all thoughe they be counted of the worlde to be the honoure and beautye of the worlde and so they wolde be counted them selfe yet saynct Iude here calleth theym the spottes and the destruction of Christis religion and howe some euer they be counted with the worlde they be before god as spottes and fylthynes that disfygureth Yf any wyll consyder theyr lyues sayth saynet Iude they lyue without feare of god or of man they lyue after theyr owne pleasure and voluptuousnesse other lyueth in great penurye and pouertye in great labour great payne and in the swette of theyr browes gette theyr lyuynge full hardly They lyue in great welth and abundaunce in ydelnes and pleasure hauyng all thynges abundauntly without any care or thoughte takyng no labours nor paynes to feade the flocke of Chryst and yet they wyll be theyr pastors and suffer their shepe to stray away from the folde and to be a pray for the wolfe foxe and the deuyll they wyll lay great burdens and yockes on other mennes neckes but they them selues wyll not ones payse them with theyr fynger Therfore not withoute a cause Iude calleth theym spâ—â—â—â—s whiche lyue without all feare eatynge and drynkynge passynge the tyme in sporte game takyng al their pleâ—uâ—es here as who shulde say there were none other world after this therfore they eate drinke and make good â—â—eâ—e and take theyr pleasure whyle tâ—ey are here for after this world they thynke there is none other world and yf there be any what they shall haue there they can not tell suche be the wordes of infideles as appereth Sapientie ii To suche truly in an other worlde shall be sorowe to their soppes payne and woo euerlastynge Cloudes they are without water caryed aboute of wyndes Iude accuseth these pseudapostels of aâ—â—ogancy they thynke them selues to be cloudes cloudes be a boue men they moue in the ayre or element oftymes they obscure and darke the lyght of the sone from men out of them commeth water that temporeth the earth that maketh grasse and corne growe so lyke wise these pseudapostelles thinketh them cloudes that is to saye that they are halfe Goddes and aboue men and giue the water that is to saye doctryne that tempereth the earth that is to saye all men be tempered ruled by their doctryne I graunte saythe Iude that they be cloudes as they counte theÌ„ selues but they be cloudes caryed of the wyndes hyther and thyther they be inconstant hauing no sure doctrine for they be cost this way and that way with euerye pufte and blaste of wynde they be caryed with the winde they be cloudes but vnprofytable withoute water to temper the earth that is drye the is to say they want hole holsome doctryne of god by the whiche they myght and shulde temper the thurstie and dry Soules and conforte afflycted conscyences they be cloudes but suche as darkens and kepe awaye from men the lyght of the sonne that is to saye they kepâ— bake the truth of goddes worde and wyll not lette it appere to men as muche as lyeth in them they darke the trueth of Goddes Gospel by their tradicyons by dremes by inuencyons of men whiche they commaunde and teachâ—â—o kepe in the steede of Goddes worde they leade vs from the lyght in to darknes and wolde make vs to beleue darcknes to be light They bring vs from Goddes worde in our yough to gentylle authors whiche we muste learne fyrst knowing well the bottell euer to smell of that lyquor whiche he fyrst receyueth yf we were brought vp soberly by a sober and dyscrete may ster in gods learning I suppose we shulde euer smell of that liquor as Titus and Timotheus did Saint Paul prayseth their bringinge vp i. Timo. iiii ii Tâ—mo iii. besydes this that they leade vs out of the waye from Goddes learnyng to gentyll authors as to Aristotle Plato zenophon and suche other when we be passed them then the way is stopped to Christ but we must then go to dunce dorobell auâ—royse brycoâ— anthony gabryell thomas and sâ—che lyke and at the laste when we shall â—â—m to the study of holy scripture must be wrasted and wrythed after they re myndes their termes and their subtyll dystynccyons althoughe they be neuer so farre contrary to the true meanyng of the scrypture Christ coÌ„maundeth vs Iohan. v. to serche scryptures these cloudes coÌ„maundeth the contrary to serch doctors as gentyll authors skole doctors as dunce dorobel petrus hisyanê° such like holy scripture is to be vnderstandyd fyrst by the scrypture it selfe one place expoundeth an other The holy ghost can best expounde