Ʋers. 1. IVdas the seruant of Iesus Christ [...] Imlerus. Caluin. Iudas beginneth his epistle afte [...] y ^e maner of y ^e other Apostles. C. H [...] calleth himselfe y ^e seruāt of Chris [...] not as [...] name is common to all the god [...] myxed one with another; but hee calleth hi [...] selfe so in respect of his Apostleship; for the [...] are properly and peculiarly iudged to bee th [...] seruantes of Christe, to whom he hath inio [...] ned any publique offyce or function: So th [...] now wee knowe to what ende the Apostl [...] are accustomed to set forth them selues wi [...] [Page 3] this tytle. Rashly therefore doth he presume, whosoeuer he be, that taketh vpon him the of­fice and authority of teaching, that is not law­fully thereunto called. The callinge therefore of the Apostles is their sufficient testimony, because they intrude not them selues into the offyce of teaching, by their owne priuate mo­tion and iudgement. Neither is this suffici­ent inough of it selfe to be placed in authori­ty, vnlesse they behaue them selues faythfully therein. Which then verely they shall doe: First, if they declare that God is the author of their function and calling wherein they are placed: Secondly, if they execute the same faythfully according as they are cōmaunded. But because many doe counterfayte this ti­tle, namely, that they are the seruauntes of Chryst, and falsly bragge them selues to bee that, from the which they are farre wyde, wee must alwayes take good heede, and see whe­ther the thinge it selfe be answerable to their profession or not. Aug. Mar. Philipp. 3. vers. 18.19. A. For that is most true that the Apostle S. Paule wryteth: Many walke, that are the ennemyes of the Crosse of Christ, whose ende is destruction, whose God is their belly, and glory to theyr shame: which minde earthly thinges.

It followeth in the texte. The brother of [Page] Iames] B. Because there were many Iu­daes, [...]ullinger therefore hee addeth this to put a diffe­rence betwene him and other that were cal­led after the same name. Caluin. C. Hee addeth to also his name, because it was so famous, and so well knowne of the churches: for although the doctrine and authority of fayth depen­deth vpon no mortall man, yet notwithstāding this is a great strengthning and setting for­warde of fayth, when the integrity and vp­rightnesse of the man, that taketh vpon him y ^e office of a teacher, is wel & sufficiently knowne vnto vs. Moreouer, the authority of Iames is not here set forth vnder a colour, as of some priuate man, but because he was counted one of the cheifest Apostles, Galla. 2. vers. 9. among al y ^e churches.

Thus hast thou both the author of this e­pistle, and also the subscription. Nowe it fol­loweth to declare to whom hee wrought this epistle. Caluin. To them which are called] C. By this word (called) he signifieth all the fayth­full, because the Lord hath seuered them to him selfe. But because this worde (calling) is nothing els then the effecte of the eternall election, it is some times taken for election it selfe. Heere in this place it maketh no great matter if thou take it both wayes. For with­out question, hee commendeth the grace of [Page 4] God wherewith hee vouchedsafe to make his choyce of them, to bee of his flocke and folde. He signifieth also, Aug. Mar. Ihon. 4.19. that men cannot preuent God, neither can they come vnto him at any time, till he drawe them. A. For hee loued vs first. Esay. 65.1. And hee is dayly found of them that sought him not: and appeareth vnto them which asked not after him. It followeth. Caluin.

And sanctified in God the father] C. The sence and meaninge of this is: that they that are called being wicked and vngodly in them selues, Bullinger [...]phe. 2.3. haue their full sanctification in & from God. B. For wee are all by nature the children of wrath, and vyle bondslaues to Satan. But God taking pity vpon vs, sent his sonne into the world, which loued vs, and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloude. Caluin. Aug. Mar. C. All they therefore are sanctified, whom God hath regenerated by his spirite, A. and grafted into y ^e bo [...] of his sonne Chryste by fayth.

And preserued in Iesus [...] [...]r­thermore he addeth that we are kept and pre­serued in Christe: Caluin. for Satan euery minute & moment of an houre syeth alwayes in wayte [...]o snatch vs vp as it were for a Pray, and vt­ [...]erly to destroy vs, had not Chryste our Saui­ [...]ur protected and defended vs, whom the fa­ [...]her hath appoynted to bee our keeper and [Page] watchman, for this purpose, that nothing bee lost, that hee hath receaued into his tuition & safe keping. Aug. Mar. [...]hon. 6.39. A. For this is the will of my Father that sent mee, that of all that he hath geuen me, I shall lose nothing, but rayse it vp agayne at the last daye. [...]hon. 10.27. And againe: My sheepe heare my voyce, and I knowe them, and they followe mee, and I geue vnto them, eternall lyfe, and they shall neuer perishe, neyther shall any man plucke them out of my hande. My Father which gaue them mee, is greater then all, and no man is able to take them out of my Fathers hand. Ihon. 17.12. Also, Those that thou gauest mee, haue I kept, and none of them is lost, but that lost chylde, that the scripture myght bee fulfilled. C. A threefold benefite of God therefore in all 1 the Godly doth Iudas heere declare. Caluin. First, 2 that by theyr callinge, hee hath made them partakers of the gospell. Secondly, that by 3 his spyrite hee hath regenerated them into newnesse of lyfe. And thirdely, that by the power of Christe, hee hath kept them, that they shoulde not fall away from saluation. Aug. Mar. A. To this agreeth that sayinge of S. Peter in his 1. epistle vers. 5. Wee are kept by the po­wer of God through faith vnto saluation, which is prepared for this purpose, ready to bee shewe [...] in the last time. Bullinger B. In these three members [Page 5] therefore thou hast the whole summe of the gospell, which Paule especially mingleth to­gether in the titles or inscriptions of his e­pistles.

Mercy bee vnto you, and peace, The te [...] vers. [...] Bullin [...] and chari­ty bee multiplied.] B. This is an holy wyshe, and a very Apostolike salutation.

Hee desireth three thinges to bee multiplied and increased (that to is say) Mercy, Peace, and Charity. Calui [...] C. This worde (Mercy) is as much in effect almost, as Grace, in Paules salutations. If a man will haue a more sub­till or fine difference: properly, grace is the effecte of mercy. Because God doth imbrace vs with his loue, for no other cause, but be­cause hee beholdeth our myseries.

B. This mercy the Father of heauen doth increase in vs, Bullin [...] when hee taketh pitty vppon vs, and forgeueth vs our sinnes, and doth as it were power downe him selfe and all his benefittes vppon vs day by day, most lybe­rally and bountifully: so that hee doth often­tymes, and euer nowe and then, knitte as it were, and bynde him selfe more strong­ly and neerely vnto vs by his beneuolence, and fatherly benignity.

[Page]This worde (peace) doth signifie the tran­quillity or quietnesse of the minde or consci­ence, & the desire or studdy of vnity and cōcord with all men. Charity] It may bee vnder­stoode as well of God towards men, as of one man towardes another. If it be vnderstoode of God, then the sence is, that he would vouch­safe, to increase the same amonge men, and y ^t the trust and confidence of his heauenly loue may dayly more and more bee confirmed and stablished in our heartes: if of men, it is not amysse neyther, that the same God also, will vouchsafe to kindle and confirme in them mu­tuall loue and charity one towardes another, I. that they may bee of one minde and of one accorde, Ierus. and to continew helpfull and benefi­ciall one towardes another.

3. Beloued, when I gaue all diligēce to write vnto you of the common saluation, it was needefull for mee to wryte vnto you to exhorte you that yee should earnest­ly contend for the fayth which was once geuen vnto the sainctes. [...] texte.

[...]llinger Beloued when I gaue all diligence] B. Here hee sheweth the cause that enforced him to write, indeuouringe to get theyr good will [Page 6] and fauoure, shewinge with (all as by a pre­face) the scope & drift of those things whereof hee mindeth to speake. Mar. L [...] M. Some doe thinke that a certayne earnest and vehement desire was the cause that inforced Iudas to write, as wee are wonte to say of them that doe euen burne as it were with some earnest affection or other, that they cannot moderate or wyth­holde themselues, but needes they must doe this or that: So that it was necessity in him after their opinion, that the earnest desire that Iudas had to write would not suffer him to keepe silence. Caluin. C. But if a man examine the matter more narrowly, hee shall see here two distincte members, that whereas otherwise, hee was ready inough, and earnestly bent, yet necessity hath also compelled him to wryte.

Hee signifieth therefore that hee was willing verely, and very desirous to write vnto them, and yet notwithstanding compelled so to doe of necessity: for (as it followeth in the texte) being assaulted of the wicked, they were to be instructed, to prepare and addresse themselues to the battell. In this first place therefore Iu­das declareth that hee had so great care for their health and saluation, that hee wished to write of his owne accord, and y ^t very earnestly. Then, to the intent to styrre them vp to geue [Page] the more heede & attention, hee saith y ^t the mat­ter also it selfe required so to doe, for necessity is a sharpe spurre. Except they had ben fore­warned how necessary this exhortation was for them, they would haply haue bene some­what negligent and slouthfull in the reading of the same. But when hee declared in the be­ginninge, that hee wrote vppon present neces­sity, it is all one, as if hee had stricken vp the alarame, to rouse them vp out of their drow­sie sleepe, [...]. Mar. and carelesse security. A. Paule af­ter the same maner styrreth vp the Philippians to take heede to them selues, and to beware of false Apostles and deceauers. [...]ilip. 3. [...]. 1.2. It grieueth mee not (saith hee) to write the same things oft to you, for to you it is a sure thinge: Beware of dogges, beware of euill workers, beware of Concision. It followeth. Of the common saluation] C. Some bookes haue (yours) but amysse. [...]uin. For hee maketh saluation to bee common as well to other as to him selfe. Whereby it cō ­meth to passe that the credit and estimation of the doctrine of saluation is not a litle fur­thered, [...]ug. Mar. when a man speaketh of his owne vn­derstanding & experience. A. For it will bee counted but a foolish bablinge, to reason and dispute of saluation amōg others, whereof we our selues haue had no taste or feeling at all. A doctor of experience therefore (if we may [Page] so speake) Iudas professeth himselfe to bee, when hee reckeneth himselfe amonge the god­ly, to bee partaker of the same fellowship of saluation with them. And truely if there bee but on faith of all the faithfull beleeuers, one gospell, one Lord Iesus Christe, keeper and defendour of the flocke, then must saluation of necessity be a cōmon thinge to them al. For the ende of our Christian faith, is the saluati­on of our soules. 1. epistle of Peter, 1. vers. 9. 1. Pete [...] vers. 9 To exhort you y ^t yee should earnestly con­tēd for the fayth] C. The Greeke word sig­nifieth so much as if he should say, Calu [...] Exhorting you. But forasmuch as he noteth y ^e end of his purpose, y ^e words are thus to be resolued: y ^t I might exhort you earnestly to contend, y ^t your fayth may bee forthered & strengthned. By y ^t which words hee signifieth, y ^t in keeping of y ^e faith, wee must labour with all our might, & withstand strongly the contrary assaultes of Satan: For hee admonisheth thē to perseuere and continew in the faith, for that many con­flicts and battayles are lyke to ensue. Aug. [...] A. For the great multitude of deceauers, doe not on­ly goe about to weaken & make feeble by all meanes possible they may, the faith of y ^e godly, but vtterly to subuerte it, and ouerthrowe it. Wherefore, they that are once called to the fayth haue neede not a litle to bee carefull, [Page] that they may perseuere and continew therein sounde and perfect to the ende. It followeth. Which was once geuen to the saincts] This hee addeth, that they may know y ^t fayth is ge­uen to this ende, & vppon this condition, that they shoulde not faynte at any tyme, or fall a­way from it. [...]g. Mar. A. Hee calleth the faythfull be­leeuers (Saintes) after the vsuall manner of the scripture, which are sanctified by y ^e bloude and spirite of Christe.

4 For there are certayne vngodly men craf­tely crept in, [...]e texte. which were before of olde booked or billed to this condemnation, turning the grace of God vnto wantones: and denying God which is th'only Lord, and our Lord Iesus Christ.

For there are certaine vngodly men crafte­ly crept in] A. Hee rendereth the cause why hee could not forbeare, [...]ug. Mar. but needes must write vnto them. [...]lerus. I. In this hee doth immitate y ^e o­ther Apostles, who haue written many things of false Apostles, [...]ug. Mar. and deceauers. A. To this ende verely that the faythfull should bee care­full and watchfull for their owne saluation, least by any meanes they shoulde bee carryed away from the simplicity of Gods woorde, [Page] and from the receaued fayth in Chryst. Calu [...] C Al­though Satan be alwayes a mortall enemy to the godly, and ceaseth not euer nowe and then to egge and pricke them forwarde to cō ­mit wickednesse: yet notwithstandinge Iudas doth admonyshe them, to whom hee writeth of the present necessity. Nowe specially (saith hee) doth Satan in deede enter and set vppon you: arme your selues therefore to resist him. L. Pe [...] cane. L Now come false teachers & are euen alrea­dy entred, which will easely seduce you vna­wares, if you take not good heede. Aug. [...] A Wher­fore I would warne you in time that yee cō ­tinew in the fayth which yee haue heard.

C. Hence we may gather that it is the duety & parte of a good & faythfull pastour diligently and prudently to looke about him, Calui [...] what y ^e pre­sent state and condition of the church doth re­quyre, and accordingly to imploy his diligence of teaching and instructing. But euery word carrieth with it his substaunce and weight. For this worde, [...], doth notifie an indirect or priuy kinde of craftines, where­with y ^e ministers of Satan deceaue the igno­rant that foreseed not things to come. For in the nighte time when men are a sleepe, Satan soweth and scattereth abroade his Darnell & Tares, to corrupt & marre the pure & cleane [Page] seede of y ^e Lords word. [...]itt. 13. [...]. 25. Mat. 13. vers. 25. And withal teacheth, y ^t this is a priuy & an inward mischiefe full of secret hatred & mallice. For here also is the craftines & subtlety of Satan espied to styrre vp those y ^t are of y ^e flocke to be enemies, they that may with more facility de­ceyue. [...]llinger B. Hee noteth therefore the cunninge and crafty deceipt of these Satanicall decea­uers, which in no wise will seeme to bee ene­mies to truth and piety, but vnder a colour & cloake rather of truth and piety, they brag and vaunte of them selues. Of such kinde of men as these bee, S. Peter in his 2. epist. 2. vers. 1. speaketh thus: There were false Prophets also among the people, euen as there shalbe false tea­chers among you, which priuily shall brynge in damnable heresies, euen denying the Lord that hath bought them, and bring vppon them selues swyft damnation. A. Paule also of false Apo­stles writeth in this sorte. 2. Cor. 11. vers. 13.14.15. For such false A­postles, are deceiptfull workers, transformed in­to the Apostles of Christe, and no meruayle, for Satan him selfe is transformed into an angell of lyghte: therefore it is no great thinge, if that his ministers also bee transformed as the mi­nisters of righteousnesse. Also Christe him selfe hath descrybed them in this maner. Matt. 7. vers. 15. Be­ware of false Prophetes which come to you in [Page 9] sheepes clothinge, but inwardly they are rauening Woulfes, yee shall know them by their fruites.

It followeth. Which were before boo­ked, Caluin or ordayned to this iudgment] C. He calleth it iudgment or condemnation, because they corrupted the doctrine of piety, which no man can doe without his owne destruction. Furthermore, herehence this metaphor is ta­ken, because y ^e eternall counsayle of God, by y ^e which the faythfull are ordeyned to saluation, is called a booke. But when the faithfull doe heare those false Prophets to be appointed to eternall death, they ought to take the more heede, least they also wrap them selues in the same destruction with them. Howbeit Iudas would therewithall preuent al daunger, least happely the newnesse or straungnes of y ^e thing should trouble or ouerthrow some of them. L. As who woulde say, least this thinge, L. Pely­cane. as strange or neuer heard or knowne of before, might trouble your mindes, know yee that it was long since thus decreed by the secert coun­saile of God, thus it hath bene foretold, y ^t there shoulde some aryse, which with theyr wicked deedes, should both try & exercyse your piety & godlines, bringing vppon them selues swyfte dānation. Herehence therefore we may learne, that y ^e church is not exercised & tried but by y ^e [Page] determinate counsell of God. It followeth. Whych tourne the grace of our God vnto wantonnes] Now hee declareth manyfest­ly and clearely, what maner of mischife y ^t is, that they should beware & take heede of: name­ly this: that these false Apostles & deceauers, abused y ^e grace of God vnto all wātonnes & li­centiousnes, thinkinge, y ^t because their sinnes were forgeuen, they might doe what they list. They sinned therefore without all shame, and willingly fell backe againe into y ^e slauery and bondage of sinne, from whence Christ had re­deemed them by the shedding of his bloude. C. The grace of God verely appeared to a far other end, Caluin. then to geue men leaue to sinne, as Paule plainely witnesseth, sayinge: The grace of God hath appeared healthfull to all men, tea­ching vs, that denying vngodlynes, and worldly lustes, [...]. to Tit. 2. vers. 11. wee shoulde lyue soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present euyll worlde. Let vs know therefore, that there is nothinge more hurtfull & pernitious then these kinde of men, which of the grace of Christe, doe take an oc­casion to liue wantonly and licentiously. And because wee teach, that wee are saued by the free mercy of God, the Papists lay this to our charge as a greate faulte. But what doth it preuaile with wordes to confute their shame­lessnes, [Page 10] sith euery where & in all places we call earnestly vpon repentance, the feare of God, & newnes of life. They themselues doe not only corrupt & marre y ^t whole world by their euill examples & wicked life, but also take quite out of the world by their pestiferous and wicked doctrine, true holines, and the pure worship­ping and seruing of God. Mar. Lu [...] M. In deede they call them selues christians, and brag much of the gospell, but they liue such a kinde of life, as they doe whatsoeuer pleaseth them, sinning most wickedly and abhominably in dronken­nes, in lechery, and all abhomination. Their Bysshops and Prelates doe vaunte and say, wee haue taken vpon vs, not a worldly, but a spirituall state and condition of life: vnder which name & false pretence, Caluin. they haue gotten great treasures, pleasures, and dignities: al­though wee may rather thinke them to bee like the Lybertines of our time, of whom Iu­das speaketh, as it shall more clearely appeare in the discourse hereof. It followeth.

And God which is the only Lord] Certaine old translations haue, Christ which is the only God & Lorde. In the epistle of S. Peter men­tion is made onely of Christe, and there hee is called Lord. For thus he writeth, 2. Peter. 2. vers. 1. Euen de­nyinge the Lorde which hath boughte them.

[Page] [...]g. Mar. A. If any man thinke it better to reade it dis­iunctiuely or by it selfe, then the sence will be, Chiefly they deny God, [...] Pely­ [...]e. L whom once they haue professed, which is the only Lord of all things, both in heauen and earth. It followeth.

[...]aluin. And deny our Lord Iesus Christe] C. Hee vnderstandeth Christe to be denyed, when such as haue bene redeemed by his bloud, haue ge­uen them selues againe to bee bondslaues to Satan, makinge as much as in them lyeth, y ^e incōparable and inestimable benefite & price of our redemption, to be frustrate & of none effect. Therefore let vs remember y ^t Christe dyed and rose againe for vs, to y ^e end he might make vs a peculiar people to him selfe, & that he might be Lord of our lyfe, [...]ug. Mar. and death. A. A­gayne, Christe is denied, when wee derogate from him, y ^t which is his owne: After which maner the Monks, and such like deny Christ. M. For when they preach that y ^e way to eter­nall happinesse & felicity, Mar. Lut. is to fast, to gad & wander on pylgrimage, to builde Churches, and Monasteries: to vowe chastity, obedience, pouerty, and such like: they plainely deceaue the simple and ignorante by their works, but of Christe they make no mention at all: which is as much, as if they shoulde say, it is very needeful and necessary for thee to deserue hea­uen [Page 11] by thy owne good workes, Christe profi­teth thee nothing, his works cannot help thee: and so they deny the Lorde, who hath boughte vs with his bloude.

The Heretickes also that destroy eyther y ^e humanity or deity of Christe, are sayd to deny him, as it may appeare in the 1. of Ihon, 2. the 22. vers. and in the same epistle the 4. chapter the 3. vers.

5. My minde is therefore to put you in re­membrance hereof, The text [...] forasmuch as yee once know this, how that the Lord, after that he had deliuered the people out of Aegypte, destroyed them which afterwarde belee­ued not.

My mynde is therefore to put you in remē ­brance] B. He declareth by diuers examples, Bullinger y ^t it is not enough for vs to confesse y ^t we are deliuered out of y ^e Aegyptian bōdage, that is, out of Satans kingdome, into y ^e freedome & glorious liberty of the gospell which wee en­ioy, vnlesse our life bee answerable to y ^e same. L. And except wee perseuere & continew in y ^e grace of God whereunto wee are called, L. Pely­cane. our deliuerance shal profit vs litle. Bullinger B. By al which things he confuteth those seducers, and exhor­teth the saintes of God, to expresse the fayth of [Page] Chryste, by a lyfe worthy of Christe, and to be helpers to others, that they follow not the fil­thy examples of these seducers. Caluin. C. But he v­seth a litle preface, either for modesty sake to excuse himselfe, that hee seeme not to teach them as being altogether ignorant of things vnknowne; or els truely for some greater cause of earnestnes, he confesseth that he brin­geth vnto them no new thing, or not heard of before, that hee may winne thereby the more credit and authority in that which hee is a­bout to speake. Imlerus. I. I suppose (saith hee) that it is not needefull for me to teach you, sith you your selues are not ignorant. Caluin. C. Only I bring to your remembrances, that which yee haue once learned, L. Pely­cane. L least that which yee knowe slip out of your memories. But as he geueth them knowledge to geue the more heede to be wary and circumspect, so, leaste they shoulde thinke the care that hee toke for them to bee superfluous, hee saith that it was needefull for them to bee forewarned. For this is not the vse of Gods worde only, to learne those things whereof wee haue none experience, but also that it may styrre vs vp to the ear­nest meditatinge of those thinges which we haue heretofore learned, and may not suffer vs by any meanes, to waxe dull and colde in [Page 12] knowledge. A. After this maner, Aug. M [...] doth Paule exhorte his sonne Tymothee, saying: Preach the worde, bee instant in season, & out of sea­son: improoue, rebuke, exhort in all longe suffe­ringe and doctryne. 2. Tymo. Chap. 4. vers. 2. C. But of all that hath bene hetherto spoken, Caluin. this is the summe: after that wee are called of God, wee must not securely brag and glo­ry of his grace, but rather walke warely in his feare: because if any man doe dally and mocke with God after this sorte, the cōtempt of his grace shall not escape vnpunished And this hee declareth by three examples.

That the Lord when hee had deliuered his people out of the land of Aegypt.] The first example is taken out of the seconde booke of Moses. Bullinge▪ B. Euen as God in time past brought the chyldren of Israëll out of y ^e hard seruitude and bondage of Aegypt, and led them through the middest of the red Sea, and through the wyldernes, into the lande of promyse: euen so the very same God hath brought vs (the Lord Chryste being our guyde & captaine) out of the seruitude and bondage of Satan by the fountaine of regeneration, wherewith he hath washed vs from all our sinnes to eternal lyfe. But as this deliuerance profited thē not, which murmured agaynst God in the desert, [Page] which defiled them selues with Idolatry, with meates offered vp to Idols, with whoredome and glottony (for certaine thowsands of them were slayne in the wildernesse) euen so y ^e prea­ching of redemption shall litle profite vs, if wee goe forwarde in the way of wickednesse and vngodlinesse. Caluin. C. The very same compa­rison almost is in Paule, 1. Corinth. 10. vers. 6. Those whom God indued with greate bene­fites, whom hee exalted to the same degree of honor (as hee at this day hath vouchedsafe to shew vppon vs) afterwarde hee punished se­ueerly for their rebellion and disobedience. In vayne is it therefore to bragge and to bee proude of the grace of God, if our deedes are not answerable to our vocation and callinge. I. And litle shall it profit, [...]mlerus. that wee haue once by baptisme layde away our sinnes, vnlesse with constant mindes wee dayly goe forwarde from better to better, from vertue to vertue, to the obtayning of the celestiall and heauen­ly lyfe. Caluin. C. This name (people) is very hono­rably taken for the holy and elect nation: as if hee should say, it profited them nothing that by this singular pryuiledge they were recea­ued into the couenante, when afterward they fell away by disobedience. It followeth.

Hee destroyed them which afterward be­leeued [Page 13] not] Heere he noteth the welspring of all euill. For hence is it that Moses doth recken vp all their sinnes, because they would not suffer themselues to bee ruled by y ^e worde of God. For faith consisteth in obedience to­wardes God all our lyfe longe. Aug. Ma [...] A. It is not without cause therefore that Christe sayd to y ^e Iewes: Except yee beleeue that I am hee, Ihon. 8. vers. 24. yee shall dye in your sinnes. And y ^e author of the epi­stle to y ^e Hebr. Cha. 4. vers. 2. For vnto vs was the gospell preached, as well as vnto them: but the worde which they heard did not profite them, not being coupled wyth faith to them that heard. M. Let them therefore take heede that are called by y ^e name of (Christians and yet not­withstanding vnder this colour and title doe turne the grace of God into wantonnes) least that happen vnto them, as did to y ^e Israelites. M. Luth. And in very deede, from the time that Po­pery first began, and that the gospell in our age lay hidden, one plague hath followed ano­ther, by which God hath taken vengeance on the vnbeleeuers, and hath made them a Pray to Satan.

6. The texte. The Angels also which kept not their first estate, but left their owne habitation, he hath reserued in euerlasting chaynes, vn­der [Page] darcknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day.

The Angels also which kept not their fyrst estate] B. This seconde example th'Apostle S. Peter hath touched also in his 2. [...]ullinger epistle, and 2. [...]aluin. Chap. vers. 4. C. And it is an argumente taken from the more to the lesse. For the state and condition of Angels, is farre more excel­lent then ours, and yet notwithstanding God reuenged their fallinge away from him with an horrible example. Therefore hee will not spare our vnfaythfulnes, [...]ullinger [...]. Pely­ [...]ane. if we fal from grace, into the which hee hath called vs. B. L. When the Angels, sayth hee, chaunged their moste blessed and happy nature, into wickednes, nei­ther continued in their first estate, they were throwen out of heauen into hell, where they are kept in chaynes euen vntill that last iudg­ment, in the which they shall receaue the sentence of eternall damnation. Aug. Mar. A. If there­fore God spared not them, beinge such ex­cellent creatures, B if wee contynew not in our estate and callinge, doinge those things, which become the chyldren of God, how shall wee escape his punyshment? Caluin. C. This pu­nishment verely hath bene layde vppon the inhabitants and indwellers of heauen, and so [Page 14] excellent ministers of God, ought dayly to be sett before our eyes, leaste at any tyme wee proudely contemne the grace of God, from whence wee fall headlonge into vtter de­struction. Aug. M [...] A. For the Lord doth no lesse hate pryde nowe, and the contempt of his grace, then hee did in time past. Hee is no chang­linge, hee remayneth one and the selfe same God still. Caluin. C. [...] in this place may bee aptly taken as well for the beginninge, as for principallity. For Iudas signifieth, that therefore they suffered punishment, because, despisinge the goodnes of God they fell from their first callinge. And by and by hee ex­poundeth the same when hee sayth: But lefte their owne habitation] For they left and forsoke theyr standing wherein they were placed, as fugitiue & dastardly souldiars are wont to do in y ^e time of warres. It followeth. Hee hath reserued in euerlastinge chaines vnder darkenesse vnto the iudgemente of the greate day] The cruelty of this pu­nishmente which the Apostle heere expres­seth is to bee noted. They were not on­ly free spirites, but they were also celesti­all powers, and nowe they are kepte in perpetuall Chaynes. They dydde not onelye enioye and beeholde the gloryous [Page] lighte of God, but his brightnesse also did shine in them in such sorte, as it might spread abroade it selfe into all the partes and quar­ters of the world, like y ^e sonne beames: where­as nowe they are drowned in darkenesse.

[...]g. Mar. A. It is all one with the same that S. Peter wryteth of their punyshment, althoughe in other wordes. [...]luin. C. Furthermore, wee must not fayne of our owne heades a place where­in the diuells are shut vp and holden bounde. For the Apostles woulde teach vs playnely, how miserable their state and condition is, sithens the time they were depriued of their dignity for their Apostasie or fallinge away from God. Whether so euer they goe, they drawe their chaynes after them, and remaine ouerwhelmed in their darckenesse. In the meane time their punishment is deferred vn­till that great and extreme day of iudgemēt. A. But what wee must thinke and iudge of the fall of Angells, [...]ng. Mar. and howe soberly wee must reason and dispute of such matters, it hath bene sufficiently spoken of in the second epistle of S. Peter the seconde Chapter, the fourth verse.

The texte. 7. Euen as Sodome and Gomorrhe, and the cyties aboute them, which in like maner [Page 15] defiled themselues with fornication, and followed straunge flesh, are set forth for an ensample, and suffer the payne of e­ternall fire.

Euen as Sodome and Gomorrhe, and the cyties aboute them] B. The third example is taken out of the booke of Genesis the nine­teenth Chap. verse twenty-fourth, Bulling Caluin. C and it is more generall: for it sheweth, that God will punishe all the wicked, one with another, no kinde of men excepted. Aug. Ma [...] A. Hee leaueth out the example of that olde worlde, that pery­shed ouerflowed with water, whereof Peter maketh mention. But this destruction of the Sodomites is no lesse horrible, wherein the Lord would shewe most clearely, how much the vncleannesse and filthynesse of mans life doth displease him, and the forgetfulnesse of his heauenly benefits. L. Pely­cane. L. Sodome (sayth he) and Gomorrha, and the cyties adioyninge thereabout, when they floryshed with all a­boundance and plenty of thinges, (euen Mo­ses witnessinge the same in the thirteenth of Genesis, Gene. 13. vers. 10. verse the tenth) because they abused the louing kindnesse and goodnesse of God in royetousnesse & pleasure, defiling them selues with all kinde of wicked and abhominable fil­thinesse, [Page] sodainely the wrath of God destroyed them, to bee an example doubtlesse to others, which abuse the benefits of Christe through vncleannes and filthines of lyfe. Which in like maner defiled them selues with fornica­tion] C. When hee saith here that the cyties thereaboute cōmitted fornication in like sorte with them, [...]aluin. this ought to be referred not to y ^e Israelites, and to the Angels, but to Sodome and Gomorrhe; this pronowne [...] being the masculine gender notwithstanding. For y ^e Apostle Iudas respected rather y ^e inhabitours thereof, then the place. And followed strang fleshe) Hee sayth to goe after strange flesh, for to be vyolently drawen to monstrous and vnlawfull lustes contrary to the cōmon course and kinde of nature. For we know that y ^e So­domytes were not content with common and vnlawfull lyberty of harlots, but were polu­ted and defiled with a more execrable and cō ­trary fashion of filthines. It followeth.

Are set forth for an ensample, and suffer the paine of eternall fyre] Hee affyrmeth that the fyre, wherewith the fiue cyties perished and were consumed, is a type and figure of the eternall and euerlastinge fyre. Therefore God at that time appoynted it to bee a no­table document and instruction to keepe men [Page 16] in his awe and feare, euen till the ende of the worlde. Hence is it that mention is so often made thereof inscripture. For when the Pro­phets of God doe minde to set forth some no­table and fearefull example of Gods iudge­ment in writinge, paintinge it out as it were vnder the figure of fire and brimstone, they al­lude to the destruction & ouerthrowe of So­dome and Gomorrhe. A. As Esay. 13 vers. 19. Aug. Ma [...] Hieremy 49. vers. 18. and 50. vers. 40. Amos 4. vers. 11. Soph. 2. vers. 9. Caluin. Wherefore it is not without cause that Iudas striketh a terror and feare into the heartes and mindes of peo­ple of all times and ages, when hee layeth be­fore them such a glasse as this is to dare and looke vppon. By this also, that the Apostle betaketh the wicked and vngodly to eternall fyre, wee gather, that that fearefull spectacle and fighte that Moses describeth in the 19. of Genesis: was but onely a type and figure of greater punishment to come. Of the euer­lasting fyre reade more in the twenty-fiue of Matth. verse the forty-one.

8. The texte. Lykewise these being deceaued by drea­mes, defile the fleshe, despise rulers, and speake euyll of them that are in autho­rity.

[Page] Likewise these being deceiued by dreames] B. Here the Apostle describeth & setteth forth these deceauers to this ende, [...]ullinger. not to ease him selfe of choller, but that they being knowne, the godly may the better shunne and avoyde them. This doth so agree with y ^e thinges that haue bene spoken of before, that looke what the Sodomites and Gamorrheans did, who were destroyed and cōsumed by fyre sent from heauen, the same also doe these deceauers.

Caluin. C. Notwithstandinge hee doth not so precise­ly vrge this similitude, as if he compared thē in all points to y ^e Sodomits, of whom he here maketh mencion, or to the fallinge angells, or to y ^e vnfaithfull or incredulous people. Only hee declareth that they are y ^e vessells of wrath appoynted to destruction: neyther can they escape the handes of God, but that one time or other hee will punishe them in like sorte, that other may take example thereby. For y ^• purpose and intente of the Apostell is, to pro­hibite or forbid the godly to whom hee wryteth, that they keepe no company with these deceauers. Bullinger B. First hee calleth thē dreamers yea, rather mocked and deceaued by dreames, (that is) seduced & blinded, which through y ^e vanity of their mindes, imbrace false thinges for true thinges, to weete, pleasures, & world­ly [Page 17] lustes, which make men wretched and my­serable, rather then blessed & happy. For whē they dreame, they thinke them selues to bee in great ioy & felicity, whē they are far deceiued. Caluin. They defile the fleshe] C. Hee saith, that they defiled their flesh, as it were dreaminge: by the which words, he noteth their blockish­nes and impudency. As if hee should say, they did as it were prostrate and throw downe thē ­selues to all kinde of filthines and vncleannes, in such sorte, that euen the most wicked would abhorre so to doe; whereby these dreamers doe shew, how shameles & senceles they were. This is a metaphoricall kinde of speakinge, whereby hee signifieth, that they were so dull and altogether blockishe, that without all re­garde of honesty, they gaue them selues to all vncleannes. But here the antithesis or compa­rison is to be noted, when he saith, that they defiled the fleshe: that is to say: that as they misused theyr vnhonest partes, so they contem­ned and despised, as a thing reprochfull and of none accoumpt, that which hath the chiefe soueraignty in the gouerning and rulinge of mankinde: & therefore he addeth immediatly. They despise rulers] B. They doe not on­ly defile themselues with all kinde of vnclean­nes, Bullinger but despise also their rulers and gouer­nours [Page] and such as bee placed in high authori­ty and office, confirmed and stablished by a lawe, and appointed by God himselfe, y ^e peace tranquillity & honesty might be preserued and maintained amonge men. Caluin. C. By this place it appeareth, y ^t these men were mouers of sedi­tion and tumult, they sought to liue without rule or gouernmēt, that being deliuered from the bondage and feare of the lawe, they might sinne the more freely. So y ^t in these lawlesse men, two thinges doe alwayes concurre and meete together: the one, free liberty to sinne and to liue as they lust: the other, dysalowing of magistrates, and the subuersion of all good and ciuile order. Now as they sought by all meanes to liue at liberty, to bee subiecte to no lawe, so it is euident by the wordes of the Apostle, that they vsed to clatter & to speake very saucely & contunicliously of magistrates, and of such as were in office and authority. And therefore it followeth. And speake euill of them (saith hee) that are in authority] E­uen as franticke men at this day do fume and frett when they are kept vnder the rule & go­uernment of magistrates, & exclame and cry out like madde men, against all ciuill pollicy and good gouernment, and that the sworde of iustice, is but a prophane thinge, and con­trary [Page 18] to the doctrine of piety: to conclude, they would haue neither kinges, princes, nor magistrates to bee of the church of God, M. Luth▪ but vtterly bannishe and expell them. M. But we teach thus: that as longe as we lyue here one this earth, we must bee subiect and obay the magistrate. For the faith of Christe doth not disalowe outwarde pollicie, and cyuill go­uernment. And therefore it is not lawfull for any man to withdrawe him selfe from obedi­ence due to the magistrate, as our Anabap­tistes and popishe Bysshops doe: for there be many decrees extant of our hygh Bysshops, bearing this title; Of ecclesiasticall liberty or freedome, Aug. Mar [...] A which must needes bee y ^e meere inuentions of Satan, if this doctrine of y ^e A­postle doe come from the holy ghoste, as it is not of vs to bee doubted.

9. Yet Mychaell th'archangell, when hee stroue against the diuell, The texte. and dysputed a­boute the body of Moses, durst not giue raylinge sentence, but sayde, the Lorde rebuke thee.

Yet Mychaell th'archangell] M. This is one of the places, for the which, M. Luth. the olde auncient writers in time past, haue reiected [Page] this epistle, because hee bringeth in here an ex­ample which is red in no place of scripture, to weete, that (Mychaell th'archangell did striue with the diuell aboute the body of Moses.) Some do thinke, that herehence this contention grewe, for because y ^t many notable thinges are written of Moses, how God buri­ed him, neither doth any man know yet where his sepulchre is. Then, that the scripture doth witnesse of him, that there arose no prophet in Israëll like vnto Moses, whom the Lorde knewe face to face. Deut. 34. vers. 10. Syth Moses therefore was of so worthy estimati­on, the doctors doe affyrme that an Angel sent from heauen did bury him, neither doth any man knowe of his sepulchre to this day. And it was done for this cause, least the Iewes, if they had had the body of Moses being so excel­lent and so famous a prophet, should vpon this occasion haue fallen to Idolatry: and y ^t here­hence afterward grew this contention & strife aboute the body of Moses, whereof Iudas ma­keth mention here, when y ^e diuell would haue it knowne where the body of Moses was, to geue the people occasion to cōmit Idolatry to the same. Caluin. C. Furthermore, because they thinke this history to bee taken out of some Apocri­phall booke, hence came it y ^t this epistle was [Page 19] so litle esteemed. But whereas the Iewes haue so many things by tradition of the fathers, it is no absurdity to say, that Iudas declareth y ^t, which hath bene receaued from hand to hande many yeares and longe agoe. Wee know ve­rely that many foolishe toyes and trifles haue bene receaued vnder this title and name of (Tradition): as the papists at this day doe re­ken euery foolishe and vnsauery fable of do­ting Monckes into this cataloge or kalender. But this doth not binder, but that they had certaine vnwritten histories. That the Lord buried Moses, it is out of all cōtrouersie, that is, that his sepulchre was not knowen, it was the secret purpose and will of God, the cause whereof, wee haue already touched. What maruaile then is it, if Satan goe about so bu­sily to bring to lighte the body of the prophet being hid by the secret counsaile of God. But the Angels withstoode him, as they are al­wayes ready at hand to minister to the Lord. Psal. 103. vers. 20.21. And truly wee doe see, that Satan in all times and ages hath not ceased to laboure very earnestly in this point, and to seeke all meanes, and to speake prouer­bially, to tourne euery stone, that is, to leaue no way vnattempted, to geue foolishe and ig­norant men an occasion to commit Idolatry [Page] to so many bodies, as there bee seruantes and saintes of God. Wherefore this epistle ought not to be doubted of, by reason of this testi­mony, because it is in scripture no where to bee founde. It followeth. Durst not giue rayling sentence] That Mychaell is brought in alone disputinge against Satan, it is no newe thinge. Wee knowe that there are thowsandes of Aungells alwayes ready at hande, to doe the will and commaundement of God. Daniell 7. vers. 10. For hee maketh his choise of this or that Aungel, and appoin­teth him to doe this or that, as pleaseth him.

It followeth. But sayde the Lorde re­buke thee] This also is in Zachary. Zacha. 3. vers. 2. The Lord reproue thee then Satan, or brydle thee, or keepe thee vnder. It is a compari­son from the greater to y ^e lesse, as they call it. M. As if Iudas should say, M. Luth. although Mycha­ell were an Archangell, yet durst he not cursse and rayle against the diuell: and yet these blaspheminge seducers are not afrayde, nor ashamed, to treade vnder their feete, as it were, the powers that are ordeyned of God, and to cursse and speake euill of them that are in authority, euen to the eyght & ninth degree, beinge nothinge else but weake and frayle men. And this Archaungell feared to [Page 20] vtter any raylinge worde agaynst the wicked diuell, reprobate and already damned, but sayd onely, The Lord reproue thee and re­buke thee. Caluin. C. This argument Peter hath handled more briefly in his second epistle vers. eleuenth.

10. But these speake euill of those thynges which they know not, and what thinges they knowe naturally, as beastes whych are without reason, in these things they corrupte them selues.

But these speake euill of those things which they know not] I. Hee hath a respect vn­to that sayinge: Imlerus. A foole aunswereth before hee vnderstandeth: Prouerb. 1 vers. 28. & 18. vers. 13. a very foole when hee holdeth his tongue is counted wyse: and hee that stop­peth his lyppes is esteemed prudent. These in like sorte are worthely to bee counted fooles, which goe about to defend their ignorance by euill reproches. Caluin. C. Iudas therefore signifi­eth, that they are very beastly, blockishe and dulheaded, not knowinge nor vnderstandinge what is worthy of honour, neyther what be­longeth or appertayneth thereunto: notwith­standinge, they are thus farre made bolde, that they are not ashamed to condemne those thinges that passe their reache.

[Page] [...]ug. Mar. A. This wee may clearely and euidently see & behold in the Pope him selfe, and his cornuted or horned Bysshops, [...]ar. Lut. M which knew nothing els, but to excommunicate, cursse, and to deli­uer to Satan, not onely kinges and Princes of the worlde, but God also him selfe and his blessed saintes, which thing is to bee seene in the Bull of the supper of the Lorde. They knowe, or at least they should know, that our saluation consisteth of fayth and charity: they cannot away to heare their workes spoken a­gainst, and to be comdemned: they cannot a­byde to heare vs talke and reason one with a­nother, that wee are saued onely by Chrystes workes and merites: and therefore doe they blaspheme and speake euill of all chrystian doctrine, Aug. Mar. whereof they are ignorante. A. The knowledge of tongues also they despise, which they haue not attained vnto, but in their owne dotinges, and fayned fansies, they doe won­derously please them selues, alwayes erring and leadinge others into error. 2. Tymo. 3. vers. 13. It followeth. And what things they knowe naturally, as beastes which are without reason, Caluin. in these thinges they cor­rupt them selues.] C. Heere hee affirmeth that they were infected with diuers and sun­dry kindes of vyces, because beastlyke they [Page 21] were mooued and stirred vnto those thinges, which are subiect to our corporall sences, kee­ping neither modesty nor measure, but alto­gether weltring and wallowing them selues like hogges and swyne in their filthines and vncleannes. This aduerbe (naturally) is a worde that is opposite or contrary to rea­son and iudgement. For the rage and vyo­lence of nature, doth raygne and beare rule in brute beastes onely. But in men, reason must haue the chiefe gouernance, to mode­rate and to bridle their appetites and affe­ctions. A. To bee briefe, Aug. Ma [...] Iudas pronowceth such seducers as these bee, sencelesse, & with­out all reason: which S. Peter also confirmeth, in these wordes. But these as brute beastes, led with sensuality, and made to bee taken and destroyed, speake euill of the thinges that they vnderstand not, and shall perishe through their owne corruption, and receaue the rewarde of vnryghteousnesse. 2. Pet. 2. vers. 12.13.

11. Woe bee vnto them, for they are gonne in the way of Caine, and are vtterly gi­uen to the error of Balaam for lucres sake, and haue pearished in the gaine say­inge of Core.

Woe bee vnto them, Bullinge▪ for] B. Heer the A­postle [Page] describeth and setteth forth againe these men, these crafty deceauers, by other haynous and mischieuous actes & deedes that they cō ­mitted: to weete, they murdered their pa­rentes, they slew their owne kinsmen & coun­trymen, they were couetous, ambitious, trai­tors, [...]luin. mouers of sedition. C. Yet all this not­withstandinge, it may be wondred at why the Apostle doth so sharply reprehend them.

Whereas hee sayd before, y ^t Mychaell the Archaungell was not suffered so much as to shew any token of contumely or raylinge a­gainst Satan. His minde was not to set down this to be followed as a generall rule, but on­ly to shew, and that briefly, by the example of Machaell, how intollerable this madnesse of theirs was, when they did so prowdly, and so malapertly rayle against that, which God would haue reuerenced and honored. Doubt­lesse, Mychaell myght lawfully haue lighte­ned and thundred out as it were cursses and banninges against Satan, as wee see many times how earnestly and vehemently the pro­phets doe manace and threaten the wicked. But forasmuch, as Mychaell abstayned from such seuere dealinge, which otherwise hee mought lawfully haue vsed, what madnesse [Page 22] is this of theirs, to passe y ^e boundes and lym­mittes of measure, to be shewed towards the creatures of God which excell in glory?

Moreouer, when hee doth so expresly touche these seducers, hee doth so much wyshe them to bee punished, as to forewarne them what shall bee the ende of them, and that for this cause, and to this ende, least they should draw others to y ^e same destruction with them before they bee ware: so that Iudas coulde not more liuelyer describe them and reproue them, then by vsinge these examples, and therefore say­eth, that punishments remayne for them.

It followeth. For they haue gone in the way of Caine]. C. He sayth, Caluin. that they were the followers of Caine, who being vnthankful to God, peruerting and corrupting his true worship and seruice, M. Luth▪ berefte him selfe of his byrthrighte, M and slewe his brother A­bell, for this onely cause, because Abell was more ryghteouse and godly then hee: for God accepted Abells sacrifice, and not Caines: Gen. 4. vers. 5. and 1. Ihon. 3. vers. 12. The way therefore of Caine, is to leane and to sticke to their owne workes, & to blaspheme & speake euill of workes, which are good workes in deede: and at a word, to sley and kill them that goe the ryght way. In this poynte the Pa­pistes [Page] shewe them selues very stout and bolde, B for they follow the manners and condicions of thieues and robbers, [...]llinger persecuting through couetousnes and enuy, the true followers and professors of pure and sincere religion. It fol­loweth. And are vtterly geuen to the error of Balaam for lucres sake] C. Hee sayth, [...]luin. y ^t like vnto Balaam they were deceaued by re­wards, because they corrupted y ^e true doctrine of piety & godlines for filthy lucres sake. But the Metaphor that hee vseth, doth expresse & set forth somewhat more at large their filthi­nes and impiety: for hee sayth, that lyke as a riuer flowing ouer y ^e bankes, so were they gi­uen to all kinde of ryotousnesse, and wanton­nesse passinge measure. [...]ug. Mar. [...]. Luth. A. This in the Pa­pistes euen blinde men may see. M. They thought it best to keepe them selues in cor­ners secret for a time, trustinge vppon Gods heauenly grace: and nowe I wis they come forth in great companies, seperating them selues into diuerse & sundry kindes of workes, and doe heere and there disperse them selues abroade. All that they doe is for lucres sake, and for couetousnesse of money, to fill their panches, and to serue diuerse lustes. Of this the reader may see more, in the second epistle of Peter the second Chap. the fifteenth verse. [Page 23] It followeth. And haue peryshed in the gayne saying of Core] C. Thirdly, Caluin he saith that they followed the gaine saying of Core, to weete, because they troubled the peaceable and quiet state of the church. Bulling [...] B. Core beinge ouercomne of ambition, would violently take vpon him the priesthoode, and therefore made a greate cōmotion and sturre in the tents of y ^e Israelites. But hee did not longe preuaile a­gainst Moses. For by and by the earth ope­ned, and swallowed vp him with all his con­federates, so that they went downe to hell a­lyue: shewing to all mortall men by this hor­rible example, that are led and seduced by the spirite of pride and arrogancy, that stirre vp the multitude against the true ministers, what they must looke for.

To this example the Apostle compareth y ^e seducers of his time, nay rather of all tymes and ages, which take vpon them the office and Function of teachinge, reiectinge and litle esteeming in very deede the true and sin­cere teachers of truth and verity. Hence is it that these lewde speeches proceede from our owne countrymen, papistes, to weete, these wordes: ☜ Who hath opened or reuealed to these vyle varlets and lewde knaues (mea­ning the true ministers of Gods worde) the [Page] vnderstanding and meaninge of y ^e scriptures? As for vs Catholiks, our holy father y ^e Pope, hath made & ordayned vs priestes, wee are the illuminate doctors taught from God himself, wee onely are called maisters, to vs onely be­longeth the office and function of teachinge, & to giue determinate sentence and iudgemente of all matters and cases.

By these wordes they stirre vp the mindes both of certaine princes, and of the inferior sorte, against good men, defenders and wit­nes bearers to the truth, whom they vexe, & persecute, but to their owne destruction.

[...]. Luth. M. They impute vnto vs that we are mouers of sedition, when wee exclaime and inueighe against their most wicked and corrupt man­ners, and their peruerse doctrine, when as it is they themselues that rayse vp tumultes. Christe is our Aaron and high priest, whom alone wee all ought to heare, and to acknow­ledge him to bee the Bysshop and high priest of holy thinges: but the Pope, his Byshops and Cardinalles will none of that. For they doe wonderfully extoll and magnifie them selues: they challenge to them selues all im­pery, rule, and power: and as for Christe, and the honor due vnto him, they make smale ac­compte thereof: they spoyle him of all toge­ther. [Page 24] B. But they shall vnderstand and feele one day with whom they haue kept all this bitter cōtention; when, with the Corytes, Bullin [...] they shall receaue condigne punishment: M. Lut. M nay but God hath euen now already punyshed thē that the earth hath swallowed them vp and ouerwhelmed them: that is, they are altoge­ther earthly, and as it were drowned nad bu­ried in sensuality, and all kinde of volupteous­nes and pleasure, that are nothinge els but e­uen the very worlde it selfe.

12. The text [...] These are spottes in your feastes of cha­rity, when they feaste with you, without all feare feedinge them selues: cloudes they are without water, carried about of wyndes, trees withered at fruite gathe­ring, and without fruite, twise deade, & plucked vp by the rootes.

These are spottes in your feastes] B. Hy­ther to by examples he hath depainted forth in liuely colours these deceauers and seducers. Bullinger Now the very same deceauers he setteth forth againe by moste euident and liuely coloures of similitudes. But before hee bringeth forth these parables or similitudes, hee warneth vs aforehande, that such deceauers are spottes [Page] in your feast of Charity. [...]uin. C. For this greeke worde [...], signifieth a banquet or feast, which the faithfull are wonte to keepe among them selues, for no other cause, but to testi­fie and declare thereby, the vnity and agree­ment that ought to bee among brethren. But these wicked and vngodly seducers (saith he) defiled and polluted these feastes, with their vngodly and vnciuile behauiour, feedinge them selues afterwarde with banquet after banquet most dissolutely and beyonde all mea­sure. In the feasts of the godly, there was mo­deration and honest behauiour, frugality and tēperance. And therefore they thought it vn­seemely and vnlawfull to admit into their company any wicked and vngodly persons, who make a God of their belly. Touchinge the brotherly meetings of the godly at their feastes, Tertullian in his Apologitico the 30. Chapter doth very trimly describe and set forth. See Peter also in his second epistle the second Chapter, verse thirteenth.

It followeth. When they feaste with you without all feare, feeding them selues] L. That is to say, L. Pely­cane. Caluin. when you fast, they feaste, geuing them selues to royetousnes, and glut­tony. C. Some bookes haue [...], that is, feasting together with you. If [Page 25] you like it better to reade it so, then the sence is, that they are not onely shamelesse, but also burdenous and troublesome, as they y ^t would stuffe and fill their panches, vpon the common cost and charges of the Church. But Peter wryteth somewhat otherwise, That they de­light in their deceauings, 2. Pet. 2. vers. 13. and eate with the com­pany of the faythfull. As if hee shoulde say, yee bee not well aduised to feede and to nou­rishe such hurtfull beastes and venemous ser­pentes, yea twice foolyshe to fulfill their ryo­tousnesse and wastfull spending. And I would to God there were at this day more discretion and aduised iudgement in the good and godly men, who while they shew them selues fauou­rable and ouer gentle to the wicked, bring great hurte and damage to the whole church. B. This also might well bee applyed to idle monkes and such like. Bullinge▪ For the only and chiefest care that they had, was to feede & to pamper vp themselues: they are nothing els but spots, corruption, infamy, and a burden to y ^e church, whereof they ought to bee the greatest orna­ments, lightes, and pyllers. It followeth.

Without all feare feeding themselues] A. That is to say, carelesly, impudently, A. Marl [...] & with­out any reuerence eyther of God or of his church. Cloudes they are wythout water] [Page] C. The two similitudes y ^t are in Peter hee ga­thereth into one, [...]uin. and yet of one and the selfe same sence and meaninge. For both of them doe often times touch their vayne ostentation and bragging. For when these varlets make a shew of many fayre promises outwardly, in­wardly they become barren and fruitlesse. E­uen as the cloudes tost & carried aboute with great windes and tempests, doe make a shew and hope of much rayne, sodainely doe vanishe to nothinge, so these deceauers make great boast, but litle roste, great promises outward­ly, but nothinge so inwardly. Peter addeth y ^e similitude of Wells dry and without water. But Iudas gathereth together many Metaphors to one and the selfe same ende. It followeth. Trees wythered at fruite gatheringe, and without fruite] I. They are like also vnto trees that lose their leaues at haruest time, [...]mserus. that wyther a way, and bring forth no fruite. So these deceauers are naughty and deade trees, that must bee mored and plucked vp by the rootes, if they bringe forth no fruyte.

Aug. Mar. A. Some doe turne it, rotten trees: that is, which bringe forth no fruite, but such as is corrupte and wythered. [...]lling. Twyce deade] B. Besides this they lyue a lyfe not aunswera­ble to the euangelycall doctrine, drawinge o­thers [Page 26] also with them both with their wicked doctrine, and euill example to destruction.

It followeth. And plucked vp by the rootes] That is, they are like vnto trees plucked vp by the rootes, beinge past all hope of sprynginge and sproutinge agayne, howsoeuer the leaues appeare outwardely, yet wythin they, haue neyther Sappe nor Iuyce.

13. They are the raging waues of the Sea, The te [...] fo­ming out their owne shame, they are wā ­dring starres, to whom is reserued the mist of darknes for euer.

They are the raging waues of the Sea] B. Furthermore, Bullin [...] hee lykeneth them to the ra­ging Sea, lyfting and casting vp their waues on hygh. Caluin C. Euen so these deceauers pufte vppe with pryde, doe nought else but blowe and pufe out their swellinge and prowde wordes of hautynesse and vanityes, sauouring nothinge at all of the spirite, whereby they cast men into a brutishe kynde of amazed­nesse and astonyshmente. Bullin [...] B. For as the water of the Sea the more that it is trou­bled and tossed with sharp stormes and cru­ell tempestes of wynde and weather, the [Page] more filth and froth it gathereth, and fometh: so these wicked seducers, the more outcries they make, and stirre vp seditious tumults, the more they make manifest to all men their shamelessenes & infamy. [...]uin. C. The like in these our dayes are these phantasticall spirits that terme them selues Lybertines. [...]iuely [...]cripti­ [...] of the­ [...]ily of [...]e. A man would say that they doe nothinge els but thunder, For they scorne and disdaine at the common and vsuall kinde of speakinge, and haue deui­sed and fayned to themselues certaine strange and proper kindes and formes of speaches. And after they thinke that their schollers be rapte into the heauens, sodainely they fall in­to beastly errours. For they fayne that to be the state of innocency, where there is no diffe­rence betwene honest and vnhonest thinges. They fayne that to bee a spirituall life, when euery man (settinge all feare aparte) doth carelessely and to to much giue him selfe to his owne appetite and sensuality. They say that wee are made Gods, because God doth as it were sucke and sup vp our spirites, when they leaue the body. This their errour ought to make vs the more carefull with re­uerence to imbrace the simplicity of the scrip­tures, least disputing and reasoning thereof more curiously and philosophically then it [Page 27] behooueth vs, wee doe not so much as ap­proche vnto heauen, but rather fall and bee drowned sodainely in the Labyrinth of dy­uerse erroures. Bulling B. But it seemeth that this Parable of Iudas was taken out of the prophet Esayes fifty seauēth Chap. verse 20. where it is thus wrytten: The wicked are like the raginge sea that cannot rest, whose wa­ter fometh with the myre and grauel.

It followeth. They are wandring starres] C. So these deceauers are called, Caluin. because they dazell the eyes with the similitude or likenesse of lighte, that soone vanisheth away and pearisheth. B. So these false teachers, Bullinge▪ doe seeme to them selues to bee brighte shy­ning starres, as who woulde say, illuminate Doctors, Lightes of the worlde, profounde clarkes. But because they stand not to their opinion, nor follow the constant and knowne truth, but are ruled rather by their affecti­ons, they make shipwracke of the vnwise and ignorant. It followeth.

To whom the miste of darckenesse is reser­ued for euer] B. Now he threatneth them iudgement, Bulling. that the faythfull may take the better heede of them: as if hee shoulde say, althoughe they seeme nowe to raygne as Lordes and kynges, yet notwithstandinge [Page] they shall not escape the iudgement of y ^e Lord. For hee reserueth them to bee punyshed with Satan in that hellishe and eternall darkenes for euer. [...]erus. I. For it is meete and righte y ^t they that deny Chryste the true lighte in deede, bee delyuered to perpetuall darcknesse for euer.

14. Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesi­ed before of such, The texte. saying, behold the Lord shall come with thowsands of saintes.

M. Luth. Enoch the seuenth] M. This place is read no where in scripture: which is another rea­son, why some of the fathers haue not recea­ued this epistle. Caluin. C. But this prophesie see­meth rather to bee [...], that is to say, vnwritten, or deliuered by tradition, then to be taken out of the bookes Apochriphall. For it may bee, that the auncient fathers commended this worthy sayinge, to bee remembred of po­sterity. If any man demaunde, seeing that y ^e like sentences are to be found in scripture eue­ry where, why Iudas hath not cyted some writ­ten testymonies out of some one or other of the Prophets for confirmation thereof: The answere is easie. That Iudas would only re­hearse what y ^e spirit pronounced of them in old time. And so doe the wordes here sounde. For [Page 28] hee nameth Enoch the seuenth from Adam, to cōmend the antiquity of y ^e prophesie, to weete, because it was extant in y ^e first world. M. Lu [...] M. But herehence we do learne, y ^t God from the begin­ning of the world hath caused his worde to bee preached vnto some, (promising thereby grace and saluation to them that belieue, but to the vnfaithfull foreshewinge iudgement and dam­nation) euen till Christes ascention: from the which time the worde of the Lord hath bene preached openly to all the worlde. But before our Sauiour Christes natiuity, God hath chosen only to himselfe a certaine lineal descēt, from Adam to Abraham: and from Abraham to Dauid: and so alonge from Dauid to Ma­ry the mother of Christe, hee chose some, to whom hee delyuered his worde. The worde of the Lorde therefore hath alwayes bene preached in the worlde, but neuer so openly as in these last dayes. After this manner also did our father Enoch preach y ^e word of y ^e Lord, which vndoubtedly hee had learned of his fa­ther Adam, and of y ^e holy ghost. It followeth. Behold the Lord cōmeth] C. The preterper­fect tence is put for he future tence propehti­cally. Caluin With thousands of Angells] By these words he signifieth as well y ^e faithful as y ^e An­gells: for they shal both together garnish & so [Page] forth y ^e tribunal seate of Christ, when he shal come to iudge the worlde. Hee saith thow­sandes, euen as Daniell also telleth of many times ten thowsandes of Aungells, in the se­uenth Chap. verse 10. least the multitude of the wicked, lyke the raging and vyolent sea, should burst in vpon the children of God, and carry them away by force and violence, while they thinke it will come to passe, that the Lord in time will gather together those that bee his, parte whereof are nowe inhabitinge the heauens, which wee cannot now see with our eyes, parte are here nowe in the worlde couered vnder the chaffe.

15. To giue iudgement against all men, and to rebuke all that are vngodly amonge them, The texte of all their vngodly deedes which they haue vngodly committed, and of all their cruell speakinges whych vngodly sinners haue spoken against him.

M. Luth. To giue iudgement against all men] M. He speaketh of the second comminge of Christe, for at his first comminge, hee came not into y ^e world to iudge the world, but that the worlde by him might bee saued. Ihon the 3. vers. 17. And to rebuke all that are vngodly amonge them] C. The vengeance of God y ^t hangeth [Page 29] ouer the heads of y ^e reprobate, ought to keepe and conteine y ^e chosen & elect of God in feare & trembling. It followeth. Of all their vn­godly deedes] Hee speaketh of their deedes and wordes, because these corruptors, did not only much harme and hurt by their wicked & vngodly life, but also by their vncleane and peruerse doctrine. It followeth. And of all their cruell speakinges whych vngodly sinners haue spoken against him] M. These seducers speake very boldly & cruelly against the comminge of y ^e Lord, they are impudent, M. Luth shamelesse, and to too arrogant, they mocke and blaspheame him. Hee calleth therefore their talking & clattering (cruell speakings) by reason of their obstinate boldnesse, their pride, and malepartnesse.

16. These are murmurers, complainers, The texte wal­king after their own lusts, whose mouths speake prowde things, they haue men in great reuerence because of aduantage.

These are murmurers] C. Now againe he describeth these seducers by their affections. Caluin. L. These (saith hee) because they measure fe­licity in things pertayning outwardly to the body, L. Pely­cane. if any trouble or affliction doe happen vnto them, by and by they are offended, they [Page] waxe impacient, they murmur against God, they complaine of the shortnes of a mans life, that it is subiect to so many diseases, miseries and calamities, wishing that it were longer, & not oppressed with so many euills: as who would say, being without hope of the life to come. [...]luin. C. And because they delight themselues in wicked lusts and desires, they become wai­ward and froward, hard to bee pleased, they are neuer at quiet. Herehence commeth their murmuring & cōplaining, they are neuer satis­fied, let men doe what they can to please them.

It followeth. And their mouth speaketh proud things] I. That is, [...]lerus. they come in with their high and lofty words, they set forth them selues very proudly and braggingly, they play the partes of Thrasoes out-right. [...]ullinger B. They tel vs wonderfull & strange oracles concerninge vertues lore, neuer heard of before, and all to deceaue vs: and yet they loue neyther truth nor vertue in dede & from y ^e hart. It followeth. They haue men in great reuerence because of aduantage] C. Here he sheweth that they are of a myserable disposition because they would doe any seruile worke for lucres sake. Caluin. And cōmonly this inequality or greedines, by which they differ from other men, is to bee seene in such Pesants as these be, and yet not­withstandinge, [Page 30] when there is no man to check or controule them, their insolencie and pryde is intollerable, they take much vpon them, they are very imperious. But such as they feare, and stand in awe of, if they bee in hope of any thinge to be gotten by them, those they doe shamefully flatter and smoth and soothe with sweete and fayre words. Bulling [...] B. They speake not ac­cording to the truth & matter it selfe, but such thinges as are pleasaunt vnto them, of whom they hope to reape some benefit or cōmodity. They are therefore clawbacks & most shame­les flatterers: because they haue men in great reuerence & admiration for aduātage. Then y ^e which kinde of men there are none more blind, Caluin. A. Mar▪ none more wicked. C. Person is here taken for any great man or noble man, A whereof S. Iames 2. vers. 1.

17. The tex [...] But yee beloued remember the woordes which were spoken before of the Apo­stles of our Lord Iesus Christe.

18. How that they told you, that there should be mockers in the last time, which should walke after their owne vngodly lustes.

But yee beloued remēber] I. Now he exhor­teth those to whom he writeth, Imlerus. Bulling [...] B to beware of these deceauers, & of their great impiety & vn­godlines, Caluin. C and therfore addeth y ^e admonitions [Page] and forewarninges both of the Prophets of olde time, and also of the Apostles, sayinge: Remember the wordes which were spoken before of the Apostles] L. Let this bee an argument of no force, Pely­ [...]ne. against y ^e author of this epistle, to proue him to be none of y ^e Apostles: sith the old father speaketh here of y ^e Apostles accordinge to y ^e cōmon manner, as they y ^t haue preached longe before him, so that it is not to be thought iniurious, that this author maketh mention of y ^e other Apostles of a singuler mo­desty, whereby his meaning was, that men should not so much credit and beleeue him, as other of the Apostles, speaking and writinge the like, and y ^e selfe same things of false prea­chers and false Apostles. [...]lling. B. And therefore it is diligently to bee noted & marked, that this worthy Apostle is not ashamed to vse, as his owne, yea and to alleage also the writinges & sayings of his fellowe Apostles. But in these our daies, a man may finde many proude & ar­rogant fellowes, y ^t think great disdaine to vse other mens sayinges bee they neuer so good & godly: nay they think nothing well spoken or done, but that that cometh from them selues. It followeth. How that they tolde you] A. Iudas here speaketh, Aug. Mar not onely of the liuely preaching of the worde, but also of the wry­tings [Page 31] of th'Apostles them selues. That there should bee mockers in the last times] C. He vnderstandeth that to be y ^e last time, Caluin wherein the state and condition of the church being re­nued hath receaued a firme & sure promise of continuance euen to the ende of the world, be­ginninge from the first comming of Christe: A of the which matter S. Paule speaketh eue­ry where, but specially in the 1. Corin. 10. Aug. Ma [...] chap. vers. 11. And in the 1. to Tymo. chap. 4. vers. 1. and 1. of Tymo. chap. 3. vers. 1. There shall come mockers] C. He calleth them mockers after the vsuall maner of speaking in y ^e scrip­tures, Caluin. which being drunken as it were with wicked prophaning & contemning of y ^e name of God, do breake forth into al kinde of beast­ly behauiour, so y ^t no religion can keepe or cō ­taine them within y ^e limites of their duty: the reason is; because they feare not at all in their mindes the iudgement to come, they haue no hope in them of y ^e blessed and euer during life. Euen as at this day, the world is full euery where of such Epicures, contemners, & despi­sers of God, which shaking of altogether all reuerence and godly feare, doe very wickedly and maliciously, scorne and mocke at the do­ctrine of piety, as though it were a tale or fa­ble that is tolde. Bullinger B. Of this S. Peter speaketh [Page] very plentifully in his second epistle the third Chap. verse the third.

[...]he texte. 19. These are makers of sects, fleshly, hauing not the spirite.

Caluin. These are makers] C. Some greeke bookes hath the participle absolutely: some doe adde the greeke word [...], but in y ^e same sence almost: for he vnderstandeth such as seuer thē selues from y ^e church: they will haue no disci­pline exercised therein, they are altogether geuen to the flesh and not to y ^e spirite. M. Luth. M. Hee alludeth to that saying of Peter: they bring in damnable sects. For there bee som y ^e study and occupy their braines about nothinge els, but how they may cause diuision in the Church of God, to breake the vnity of the faith: as for y ^e cōmon order taken amongst Christians, how euery man may please his neighbour, y ^t they l [...]ot, they cannot abyde it: but as touching their owne inuentions, & deuises of their own making, which is nothing but hypocrisie, and false seruing of God, that pleaseth them won­derously well. It followeth. Fleshly minded, Caluin. hauinge not the spirite] C. Here minde, in this place, as it signifieth the life of man geuen to fleshlinesse, so it is opposite or contrary to the spirite: and therefore it signi­fieth [Page 32] here, corruption of nature, such as is in men not yet regenerated: for this degenerate nature of ours, which wee haue receaued and drawne as it were from our first parentes, is altogether corrupted, grosse, and earthly, not able of it selfe to aspire to y ^e perfect knowledge of God, vnlesse it bee renued and regenerated againe by his spirite, as wel testifieth S. Paule in his first epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter, the fouretenth verse.

20. But yee dearely beloued, The text edefie your selues in your most holy faith, praying in the holy-ghost.

But yee dearely beloued] B. Here againe hee exhorteth them as hee did before, Bulling [...] to perse­uere in the truth, and to apply them selues to godlynes. C. He sheweth them also y ^t meanes, Caluin. how they may bee able to withstand and ouer­come the sleights & subtilties of Satan, & to make them of none effect: to wete, if they haue charity ioyned with faith, watching cōtinual­ly for the cōminge of Christe. But as Iude is plentiful & often in metaphors, so also he hath his proper kinde of speaking, which is briefly of vs to be noted & marked. It followeth. Edi­fying your selues in your most holy fayth] He signifieth, that they must keepe y ^e grounde [Page] and foundation of faith: and that it is not suf­ficient to be grounded & stablished in y ^e right fayth, [...]g. Mar. vnlesse wee grow & increase dayly more and more therein. A. For to builde & reare vp this foundation of faith is nothing else but to profit more and more, day by day, in the know­ledge of God, and y ^e Lord Iesus Christ: which cannot verely be done and brought to passe but by the operation and working of y ^e holy ghost. C. Hee calleth their faith most holy faith, [...]aluin. that they shoulde soundly and surely relie them selues thereuppon, and sticke to the firmnes and strongnes thereof, [...] questi­ [...]n. without waueringe. But for so much as y ^e whole perfection of man standeth in faith, it seemeth a very absurde thing that he biddeth to lay another foundati­on, as though faith were but the onely begin­ning of mans perfection. Answere To this question the Apostle aunswereth: when he saith that men are builded vpon faith, immediatly he addeth charity, meaninge thereby a liuely faith, and not a deade faith. Except peraduenture some man had rather take it thus: that men are thē sayd to be builded vpon faith, so farre forth as they profit and increase therein, as we said be­fore. And verely y ^e more that faith doth growe and increase, the more it ariseth to a perfect building. After this sorte here doth the Apo­stle [Page 33] cōmaunde vs, to growe & increase in faith to continue in prayer, to walke accordinge to charity. L. As if hee shoulde say: L. Pelycane. you y ^t are spirituall, giue diligence, that more and more, as liuely stones yee may bee ioyned together into the buildinge of God, cleauing fast to the sure foundation of your most holy faith. It fol­loweth. Caluin. Praying in the holy-ghost] C. This is the reason of perseuering, if we bee indued with the powre of the holy-ghost. As ofte therefore as mention is made of cōstant faith, wee must haue recourse to prayer. But be­cause wee are wonte to pray commonly for a fashion sake, hee addeth in spyrite. As if hee shoulde say: such is the great dulnesse and slougthfulnesse of our frayle fleshe, so negli­gent wee are, so kay-colde and so slacke in our prayinge, that except we bee waked and stirred vp by the spirite of God, no man can pray aright, or as hee should doe. Wee are so prone by nature to mystrustfulnesse, diffi­dency, and fearefulnesse, that wee dare not bee so bolde to call God Father, but by the motion of the same spirite. Hence commeth this godly carefulnesse, hence this earnest de­sire and vehemency, hence this chearefulnes, hence this trust and confidence in obtayning our petitions, to conclude, hence commeth [Page] these groninges that cannot bee expressed, whereof S. Paule speaketh in the eyght to the Romaines verse the twenty-sixth. There­fore Iudas teacheth not without cause, that no man can pray as hee ought, except he be directed by the spirite of God.

21. And kepe your selues in the loue of God, lookinge for the mercy of our Lorde Ie­sus Christe vnto eternall lyfe. [...]he texte.

And keepe your selues in the loue of God] B. Seeing charity is that Glue that ioyneth and giueth as it were together into one body, [...]ulling. and is y ^t temple of God, wherein hee deligh­teth, wee must take good heede that we sticke together in mutuall charity one towards ano­ther, and retaine our selues in the band of v­nity and concorde: A. Marlo. A. whereof much hath bene spoken in the thinges that went before. It followeth. Lookinge for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christe] C. Because many thinges doe intise vs to fall away from God, Caluin. so that it is a very hard thinge for vs to bee kept sounde and perfect to God to the ende, hee calleth backe the faithfull, to the remē ­braūce of the last day. For the only looking for the same ought to stay vs vp, least at a­ny [Page 33] time wee should despayre or waxe weary of our life: otherwise wee should of necessi­ty fainte euery moment. M. Lu [...] M. Here therefore is hope taught, and the crosse commended vn­to vs. For the whole rase and course of our life ought so to bee framed and trayned vp, that wee should doe nothing els but looke and waighte, and fight continually for the life to come. It followeth. Vnto eternall life] A. This is the ende and scope of all our acti­ons and doinges. A. Mar [...] Caluin. C. And here wee haue to note, that onely through the merites and mer­cy of Christe, (and not for any workes of ours) Iudas would haue vs to looke and hope for the lyfe to come. For hee shall in such wise be our Iudge, that hee will haue the free benefit of redemption purchased by him, for a rule to iudge by. A. Away therefore here, Aug. Ma [...] with all mans merytes. For not of workes that bee in ryghteousnesse which wee haue done, (sayth S. Paule in Tytus the thirde Chapter, verse the fifth) but accordinge to his mercy Chryste hath saued vs. B. Therefore beholding this end, Bulling. let vs serue God in a true fayth, and in loue vnfayned.

22. And haue compassion of some, The texte sepera­ting them.

[Page] [...]erus. And haue compassion] I. After that Iudas had spoken many thinges concerninge these mockers & seducers, now againe hee teacheth the faithfull, howe and after what sorte they ought to behaue them selues, in correctinge and admonishing of their brethren, that they may bee brought backe agayne to the Lord: and that is after dyuers sortes, according as euery mans nature is. For towards the meeke and gentle, and such as are tractable and ea­sie to be taught, wee must vse gentlenesse and lenity. But with those that are obstinate and stubburne, [...]ug. Mar. wee must deale more sharply, to terrifie them and to feare them. A. This is y ^e rule of iudgemēt whereof mention was made afore. First he describeth and setteth forth the nature of charity, M. Luth. M which is, to bee sory & grieued, to see certaine so miserable, blinde, & obstinate, that they haue no care at all of their soule health. A. Marlo. A. Charity surely coueteth to saue all: and therefore cannot choose but bee sory for the destruction of myserable men. Which thing wee may behold in men endued with great powre and holinesse. For Samuell not without great cōpassion lamented y ^e death of Saule. 1. kings 15. verse 35. and 16. verse 1. Ieremy also most bitterly bewayled the destru­ction of Hiërusalem, Chap. 9. verse 1. Paule [Page] wryteth to the Philippians after this sorte. Ma­ny walke, of whom I haue tolde you often, &c. Chap. 3. verse 18.19. and in the 2. Corinthians, 12. verse 20. I feare mee least when I come, I shall not finde you such as I woulde, &c. Our Sauiour Christe him selfe knowing perfect­ly the maliciousnesse and ingratitude of y ^e wic­ked Iewes, drawing now neare towards Hië­rusalem, could not w ^thold him selfe frō teares. Luke 19. verse 41. It followeth. Sepe­rating or putting difference] B. Some doe translate it, When yee shall bee iudged. Bulling [...]

But whereas the participle [...] is doubtfull, the actiue signification doth bet­ter agree with y ^e texte. If wee bee willing to help them that goe astray, the summe is this: wee must consider euery mans nature: such as are meeke, gentle & tractable, must bee gently intreated to be brought into the right way, as worthy of mercy & fauor. But if any man bee obstinate or stubburne, hee must bee sharply corrected. A. Some, Aug. Ma [...] not vnfitly haue tourned this participle [...], hauing offended.

23. And other some saue with feare, The text [...] pulling them out of the fire, hating euen the gar­ment spotted by the flesh.

And other saue with feare] B. As if he should say; Bulling. it is not enough for vs to lament & bewaile [Page] the miserable estate of wicked men, vnlesse also wee giue all dilygence and earnest care to winne them to Chryste by all meanes pos­sible, in whom there is some hope: especi­ally settinge before them the threatenings of Gods iudgements. [...]luin. C. But because to much seuerity and sharpnesse in correcting and re­bukinge, most commonly is odyous, Iude doth excuse it by necessity, because otherwise they cannot bee saued, vnlesse they doe wil­lingly and of their owne accorde follow that which is good. It followeth. Pulling them out of the fyre] M. Hee vseth an e­legant metaphor of fyre: [...]. Luth. for if wee bee de­sirous to saue a man that is lyke to bee bur­ned, wee doe not shewe him our finger, or nicely reache him our hande, but vyolently plucke him out with all speede that may bee to saue his lyfe: so must they bee handled that haue no care of their soule, that will not come to God of their owne accorde vnlesse they bee drawne with mighte and mayne.

Here the manner of speakinge is to bee no­ted in this worde (sauing) when it is apply­ed vnto men: not that the seruantes of God are authors, but mynisters of saluation.

A. Marlo. A. So and in this sence, these places of scrip­ture must bee taken: Take heede vnto thy [Page] selfe, and vnto doctryne, and continue therein: For in so doing, thou shalt both saue thy selfe, and them that heare thee. Tymothe 1. the fourth Chapter, verse the sixteenth. Likewise Saint Iames in the fifte Chapter of his epistle, the 19. and 20. verses. Brethren (sayth hee) if any of you doe erre from the truth, and ano­ther conuert him, let the same knowe, that hee which conuerteth the sinner from going astray out of the way, shall saue a soule from death, and shall hyde the multitude of sinnes. It fol­loweth. Hating euen the garment spot­ted wyth the flesh] C. This place, Caluin. which otherwise would seeme obscure and darke, will bee easie enough, if the metophor bee well and plainely declared. Hee would haue therefore the faythfull, not onely to bee free from all vice and corruption, but also hee doth admonysh them to auoyde whatsoeuer is accessary thereunto, least any infection shoulde take holde of them. As if wee should haue an occasion to speake of dishonesty, wee will say that all inticementes, and prouoca­tions to lustfull desires, must bee taken away. This will appeare more clearely, if the rest of the sentence bee supplied: that is: that wee must hate not onely the flesh, but euen the very garment it selfe spotted by the flesh, least [Page] wee bee defiled by the touching thereof. Much lesse doth hee winke at wickednesse, but wil­leth rather that all occasions and accessories thereunto, as they call it, may bee cleane cut of. [...]ulling. B. Some will haue this to bee the sence and meaning: I would not haue you to keepe too much familiarity wyth the wycked, but to shunne their company rather, not hating the person, but the wickednesse of the man. For it commeth oftentimes to passe that when they thinke them selues false enough and in good case, sodainely through their own weake­nesse and imbecillity, they haue perished to­gether wyth them, to whom they haue beene helpfull. For the good oftentimes are ouer­come of the badde. But the first exposition is more true.

The texte. 24. Vnto him that is able to keepe you free from sinne, and to present you faultlesse before the presence of hys glorye wyth ioye,

Bulling. Vnto him that is able to keepe you] B. This is the conclusion of the epistle gratulatory: wherein the Apostle Iude y ^e seruant of Christe sheweth, who it is that keepeth vs from sinne, from whence cōmeth all our powre & strength [Page 37] in perseuering in well doinge, from whence eternall lyfe, euen from God doe all these things come. Caluin. C. for all our studies and exhor­tations are not auayleable, except the effect thereof come from y ^e powre of God: A. Marl [...] A which Paule in these wordes doth euidently declare in his second epistle to y ^e Corinthians the third Chapter, verse the fourth: Such trust haue we through Christe to God warde, not that wee are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues, but our sufficiencie is of God. And in the second Chap. of the epistle to the Philippi­ans, verse thirteenth. It is God which worketh in you, both to will and to doe of good will.

C. Some bookes haue (them): Caluin. if wee reade it so, then the meaning is: It is your partes and duety to indeuoure, that they may bee sa­ued, but it belongeth to God only to performe, A. Marlo. A for so speaketh hee by the Prophet. I, e­uen I, (saith hee) am the Lord, and beside mee there is no other sauiour. Esay 43. verse the eleuenth: and 45. verse the one and twentith. Agayne, I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the lande of Aegypt, and thou shalte knowe no God but mee onely, neyther is there any sauyour besides mee. Osee thirteenth, verse the fourth. Caluin. C. Notwithstanding to reade (you) and not (them) doth better agree with y ^e text, [Page] for the alluding to the sentence that went a litle before. For after that hee had exhorted the faythfull to saue that which was lost, to the intent that hee may make them better vn­derstand y ^t all their indeuours and laboures are in vayne, except God bee the worker: hee sheweth that they cannot otherwise bee saued but by the powre of God. Howbeit in this la­ter member, the greeke worde is otherwyse, namely, [...], which signifieth a garding or keeping. So hee should haue a respect to the first member, when hee saith, keepe your selues. It followeth. And to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory] A. Paule saith, Aug. Mar. that God hath chosen vs be­fore the foundation of the world was layde, that wee should bee holy, and without blame before him through loue. Ephesians the firste Chapter, verse the fourth. But wee can ne­uer bee founde to bee such, vnlesse God him selfe doe bring it to passe in vs. It followeth. Wyth ioy] I. Heere the faythfull ought to bee of good courage to perseuere in well doing to the ende: L. Pely­cane. As if hee should say, you haue great cause to reioyce and to bee glad, for the comming of our Lord Iesus Chryste: when other that seeme heere to liue delicious­ly in sinne for a season, shall mourne & lament.

[Page 37]True ioy, the ioy that euery good christi­an man ought to haue, hath alwayes faith an­nexed and ioyned with it according to this say­ing of Peter: whom yee haue not seene (mea­ninge Chryste) and yet loue him, in whom euen nowe though yee see him not, yet doe you beleeue him, & reioyce with ioy vnspeak­able and glorious, receauing the ende of your faith, euen the saluation of your soules. The first epistle of Peter, the first Chapter, verse the eyght. Here the godly beginne their ioy, but when Chryste commeth to his last iudge­ment, then it shall bee fully perfected and completed.

25. To God our sauiour, which only is wise, The texte. bee glory, and maiesty, and dominion, and powre, nowe and euer. Amen.

To God our sauiour which onely is wise] C. All creatures doe giue all the prayse and glory, of all wysedome & knowledge, Caluin. as most proper and peculiar to God alone: see the sixeteenth chapter to y ^e Romaines, verse twenti-seuenth. Aug Mar. To God our sauiour] A. Wee haue declared before in y ^e twenty-fourth verse, and proued out of the scriptures, that God a­lone is both the author, and finisher of our [Page] saluation. It followeth. Bee glory, & ma­iesty, and dominion, and powre, now and e­uer.] As wisedome, so also to God only hee ascribeth all glory, according to S. Paule say­ing in the first to Tymothe, the first Chapter, y ^e 17. verse. To the king euerlasting, immortall, in­uisible, vnto God onely wise bee honor and glory for euer and euer. Amen. And Dauid in his 104. Psalme, the 31. verse. The gloryous maie­sty of the Lorde shall indure for euer: the Lord shall reioyce in his workes. It followeth.

Now and for euer.] Although the name of God bee continually prophaned and blasphe­med of the wicked, yet y ^e godly doe euen now celebrate and set forth the glory and maiesty of the same: which is a sacrifice most accepta­ble vnto our God, as hee him selfe witnesseth by his prophet Dauid in the 50. Psalme, the 23. verse. Who so offereth mee thankes & praise, hee honoreth mee: and to him that ordereth his conuersation a ryghte, him wyll I shewe the sal­uation of God. This word (Amen) as it is vsuall and familiar both with Christe our Sauiour him selfe, with his Apostles, & with all the holy men of God, so it confirmeth, sig­neth, and sealeth vp as it were, whatsoeuer thinges haue beene wrytten or spoken by the saintes and holy men of God, inspired wyth [Page] the holy-ghost: so that wee neede not doubt of their faith, truth, and verity, but cleaue conty­nually, and sticke fast vnto them. The which thinge that wee may doe, God the Father of heauen graūt vnto vs, who hath vouchedsafed to call vs into the fellowship of his sonne Iesus Christe. B. To whom bee praise, Bulling. confession, and thankes giuing worlde without ende. Amen.