A commentarie or exposition vppon the twoo Epistles generall of Sainct Peter, and that of Sainct Jude. First faithfullie gathered out of the lectures and preachinges of that worthie instrumente in Goddes Churche, Doctour Martine Luther. And now out of Latine, for the singuler benefite and comfort of the godlie, familiarlie translated into Englishe by Thomas Newton

¶TO THE RIGHT HO∣nourable, Sir Thomas Bromeley Knight, one of her Maiesties moste ho∣nourable priuie Counsell, and Lorde Chauncelor of Englande.

THE translation of these godlie and comforta∣ble Commentaries of Mai∣ster Luther vpon the Epi∣stles generall of the blessed Apostles Peter and Jude, beeyng fullie finished and brought to an ende, it was the easiest matter of many, where to bethink mee of a fitte Patrone, vnder whom to shield the labours of so worthie an Organe in the Churche of God, and myne owne trauailes therein (suche as thei bee) frō the rancorous rout of suche baw∣lyng Baalites and arrogant Apistes, as with o∣pen Iawes will bee readie to barke at the sounde doctrine of Faithe and Maners, by hym heerein with a moste bolde spirite, maintained and vt∣tered. I was (I saie, soone resolued with my self, to settle my choise in your Lordshippe: of whose

cheerefull acceptaunce (suche is your Godlie zeale) J could not any whitte doubte: And of whose courteous construction of my honest and harmelesse meanyng heerein (suche is your ho∣nourable inclination) J deemed it almoste hai∣nous, to put any diffidence, or to harbour within mee so muche as a sparke or Mite of the leaste suspition. None so wilfullie blinde, nor so witles∣lie bee sotted, but hath bothe seene and knowen, what a generall benefite it pleased the Lorde in mercie, to shewe vnto the worlde, beeyng almoste whollie whelmed in the Suddes of Superstition, and desperatelie drowned in the Dregges of J∣dolatrie, by the ministerie of this one man: oppo∣syng hymself (in defence of the glorious Gospell of GOD) againste all the Pedlarie of Pope and Popelynges, and againste all the rable of Coze∣nyng Caterpillers in the Kyngdome of Darke∣nesse, characterized and brended with the marke of the Beast. The triflyng trashe and ridiculous rifferaffe of whiche Cacolike Synagogue (for so is it muche rather to bee tearmed then Catho∣like) this man with so vehement and zealous a spirite, hath so throughlie anatomized and vn∣ripped, ••) by suche ineuitable reasons out of the

infallible VVorde of God, ouerthrowen and con∣futed, that the rotten ragges thereof can not pos∣siblie bee eft soones peeced: The crackte credite of suche Motheaten stuffe neuer againe salued: nor the totteryng walles of suche a roistyng and ruf∣fianly raigne, euer any more after the former ga∣lantise be reared vp & reestablished. In so muche that it maie bee thought, that our mercifull God, pitiyng the miserable thraldome wherin his peo∣ple vnder that Romishe Pharao had long laine captiued, and in his Justice, meanyng at length to ridde the worlde of those deade Flies (whiche did nothyng els but corrupte and tainte sweete Ointmentes) and as it were to launce those Bot∣ches and Biles, that so long had festured in the bodie of the Common wealthe of Jsraell, appoin∣ted and raised vp this man, to bee as the Malle that should knocke that blasphemous Goliah in the pate, and the Leeche that should applie vnto him & his greazed generatiō suche a strong Pill, whiche thei should neuer bee able to swallowe. His life also & conuersation beyng so vnblamea∣ble, that the starkest Balaamite and spightfullest Rabbine emong them (of whiche stampe there ne∣uer wanteth stoare) could neuer iustlie reprooue

hym of faultes, other then suche, as generally fol∣lowe the infirmitie of Man. Jn so muche as that reuerend and renoumed Clerke Erasmus (whose testimonie herein maie stande for many, and the rather for that he somewhat to muche (the more pitie) for priuate respectes, bolstered and plaste∣red the deformities and blottes of the Romishe Clergie) pleasauntly by waie of answere to a que∣stion, mooued vnto hym by the good Duke of Sa∣xony, saied: that the onely reason why poore Lu∣ther was so deadly hated, was for none other cause, but for that, by his preaching and writing, hee had taken awaie the Croune from the Pope and Bishoppes, and the Beallie from the Mon∣kes: and that otherwise he was bothe a Godlie, a learned, a vertuous, and a modest man. Jn the compassyng and atchieuyng whereof, little mer∣uaile was it, though in his Style and maner of writyng, he seemed to some to bee ouer crabbed, seuere, sharpe, and bityng: For (saied he) to re∣mooue sharpe & grosse diseases, God hath sent in this laste age of the VVorlde, a sharpe & austere Phisition. And as wee reade of the Repairers of Battered Hierusalem, that with the one hande thei builte the VValles, and with the other helde

their sweard, to bee readie to encounter the ene∣mie: So maie wee saie of Luther, that he with the one halfe of his studie, combated and conflicted with the Aduersaries of Gods truthe, and with the other halfe, generallie benefited the Churche, by pennyng & writing sundrie notable enarrati∣ons vpon the Sacred Scriptures, and Catholique Religion. How valiauntlie also hee plaied the Christian Champion againste Meritemongers, and all Clouters vp of their Saluation with the Figgeleaues of their owne wretched VVoorkes and condignitie; and what an vndaunted Her∣cules he shewed hymself, in choppyng of still those succreasyng heades of that Jtalian Hydra, sun∣drie his learned Bookes plentifullie and at large declare, and this VVoorke emong many others doeth sufficientlie attestifie. The whiche with all humilitie J heere offer and exhibite vnto your lordship: assuring my self, that for your approued wisedome, you will not onely allowe of it, but al∣so for the high Authoritie wherein you are wor∣thilie placed, you will accordyngly countenaunce it. The Lorde from heauen blesse and strengthen you with his Spirite of zeale, fortitude and bold∣nesse, to be a Buttresse and Proppe for the propa∣gation,

passage, and continuaunce of his glorious Gospell emong vs, your poore Countreimen of this noble Realme of Englande, to the encorage∣ment of all true Professours of the same, and to the vtter terrour, extirpation, and weedyng out of all cancarde aduersaries and malicious Grin∣nagods, beyng not onelie prickes in the feete, and Thornes in the eyes, but euen splintes in the han∣des, and Daggers at the hartes of all the godlie: That by the prudent pollicie, and carefull vigi∣lancie of your Honour, with others her Maie∣sties moste Noble and zelous Counsellours, all dolledrenche Drones maie bee espied, and caste out of the Hiue of the Common wealthe, and ei∣ther bee conuerted, least vtterly thei perishe, or spedily confounded, least thei procure and breed more treacherous annoiance. From Butley in Chesshire, this first of October 1581.

Your L. moste humble, Thomas Newton.