The seconde tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testament conteynyng the epistles of S. Paul, and other the Apostles : wherunto is added a paraphrase vpon the reuelacion of S. John.

❧ THE PARAPHRASE OF Erasmus vpon the Epistle of Sainct Iude thapostle.

The texte.

¶ Iudas the seruaunt of Iesus Chryste the brother of Iames. To them which are called and sanctified in God the father, and preserued in Iesu Christe: Mercy vnto you and peace and loue be multiplied. Beloued, when I gaue all diligence to wryte vnto you of the commen saluacyon, it was nedefull for me to write vnto you, to exhorte you that ye should continually laboure in the faith, whiche was once geuen vnto the saynetes. For there are certayn vngodly men craftely crept in, of whiche it was written afore tyme vn∣to suche iudgement. They turne the grace of our God vnto wantonues, and deuye God (whiche is the onely Lorde) and oure Lorde Iesus Christe. My mynde is therfore to put you in remembraunce, for as muche as ye once knowe thys, how that the Lorde (af∣ter that he had deiyuered the people out of Egypte) destroyed them which afterward be∣leued nor. The angels also which kepte not theyr first estate, but lefte toeyr owne habita∣cion, he hath reserued in euerlastynge chaynes vnder darckenes vnto the iudgement of the greate daye: euen as Sodome and Gomor, and the cyties aboute them (which in lyke maner defiled them selues with fornycacion, and folowed straunge sleshe) are set forthe for an ensample, and suffre the payne of eternall fyer. Lykewise, these beynge disceaues by dreames defyle the flesh, despyse rulars, and speake euill of them that are in auctorytie. Yet Michael the archangell when he stroue agaynst the deuyll, and disputed abou••e the

body of Moses, burst not geue raylynge sentence, but sayde: the Lorde rebuke the. But these speake euyll of those thynges which they knowe not: and what thinges they knowe naturally (as beastes which are without reason) in those thinges they corrupte them sel∣ues. Wo bee vnto them, for they haue folowed the waye of Cayn, and are vtterly geuen to the errour of Balam for lukers sake, and perisshe in the treason of Chore. These are spottes whiche of youre kyndnes feaste together, without feare, fedynge them selues. Cloudes they are without water, caryed about of wyndes, trees withoute frute at gathe∣rynge tyme, twyse deed, and plucked vp by the rotes. They are the ragynge waues of the sea, fomynge out theyr owne shame. They are wandring stertes, to whome is reserued the myst of darckenes for euer. Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophecyed before of suche, saying: Beholde, the Lorde shall come with thousandes of saynctes, to geue iudgement a∣gaynst all menne, and to rebuke all that are vngodly among them, of all theyr vngodly dedes, whiche they haue vngodly commytted, and of all their cruell speakynges, whiche vngodly sinners haue spoken agaynct hym. These are mutmuters, complayners, walking after theyr owne lustes, whose mouthes speake proud thynges. They haue men in greate teuerence because of auauntage. But ye beloued, remembre the wordes whiche were spo∣ken before of the Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christ, howe that they tolde you that there should be begylers in the laste tyme, whiche shoulde walke after theyr vngodly lustes. These are makers of sectes, fleshly, hauinge no spirite. But ye dearely beloued, editie your selues in your moste holy faythe, prayinge in the holy ghoste, and kepe your selues in the loue of God, lokynge for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall lyfe. And haue compassion of some seperatyng them: and other saue with feare, pullyng them out of the fyre (and haue compassion on the other) and hare the fylthy vesture of the slesh. Vnto hym that is able to kepe you fte from synne, and to presente you fautles before the presence of hys glory with ioye (at the commyng of oure Lorde Iesu Christe,) to God oure sauiour, (thorow Iesus Christe our Lorde) which onely is wyse, be glory, maiestie, domynion, and power (before all worldes) nowe and euer. Amen.

I Iudas Thadeus the seruaunt of Iesu Christe, the bro∣ther of Iames, write this Epistle not to the Iewes onely nor to other newly conuerted, but to all men in commune, whome the render mercye of God the father hathe of his owne free will sanctified, and hathe also without the helpe of the lawe, made godly of vngodly, and of Idolatours obedient folowers of true religion, whom also the bounte∣ous goodnes of God had preserued in Iesu Christ to this ende, that they shoulde not auaunt with other into the dongeon of euerlasting damnacion, whom in like manner his free liberall goodnes hathe nowe called vnto the saluacion of the Gospell. Ther is nothing that I can wishe vnto you more fortunate, than that the goodnes of God would alwayes multiplie in you his giftes, mercie, peace, and charitie: Mercie, that you may absent your selues dayly more and more from the vices of your former olde life: Peace, that you may through godlynes of life nourish the concorde, which you haue with God: and Charitie, that you may through mutuall concorde be all of one mynde, and eche one bounteously good to other. Dearely beloued, forasmuche as the loue of the Gospell maketh all thinges commune, whether it bee good, that chaunce or whether it be badde, namely in those, matters that perteyne to eternall sal∣uacion: I had so great a defier to write vnto you concernyng your saluacion, wherof I am no lesse carefull, than if it were myne owne, forsomuch as brother∣ly loue pricketh me forwarde therunto, so as I could not forbeare, but I must exhorte you in this Epistle, to stande harde against the false Aposties, for the defence of the sincere faythe, whiche was once deliuered of the holye Apostles. And not onely to labour in this, that you contynue stedfaste in youre faythe, but also to laye youre helping handes vnto other, that they bee not begyled of

the deceauours. For it is not possible to thinke what a Iewell the treasour of faythe is, and it standeth vs in hande to watche so muche the more warely a∣bout vs, that it be not turned awaye from vs. For where as we deliuered the Gospelles docttyne vnto you purely and syncerely, euen as we receyued it of Christe, yet there haue a sorte of wiked ones thruste in them selues among in the meane season, vnder pretense of religion, and like woolues haue crepte in∣to the lordes shepefold, settyng them selues out in a shewe of godlynes, where in dede they are very enemyes of true godlines. And that thys gayre should not disturbe youre myndes as though it were a newe matter: it was thus decreed long a goe by the secret counsail of God, thus was it spoken before, that there shoulde ryse men which with theyr wiked myschieuousnes shoulde bothe exer∣cise youre godlynes, and pull condemnacion vpon them selues: they turne the free liberall gifte of our God (wherewith he hathe once frely pardoned vs our synnes, and set vs at free liberty from the sharpenes of the lawe,) in to an occa∣••iō of wantones, where as they ought rather to be prouoked through his bene∣ficyall goodnes, bothe to maynteyne and furnyshe the Innocencie frely geuen them, with godly studious endeuours: and being enflamed with the charitie of the Gospel, to do with a good wyll the workes of ryghteousnes more plenti∣ously and more exactely, than Moses lawe had appoynted beefore. But nowe these men abuse the libertye that is geuen them, vnto filthynes and licencious∣nes to synne, and fall of theyr owne accord backe agayne in to theyr olde bonde seruitude, from the which Iesus Christ had redemed thē with his owne bloud: & denye God, whom they once professed, where as he is the onely lord & maister of all thinges that are in heauen and in earthe: and denye also our lorde Iesus Christ, which hathe made vs free to him selfe with the price of his owne sacred bloude. It auaileth vs nothing to bee redemed, onles we contynue stedfaste to thende in those thinges, wherunto we are called. I thinke it not necessary, that I should teache you, seing you forgette nothing, but I only put you in remem∣braunce lest the thing that you knowe should slyppe out of mynde. It auailed the Hebrues in tymes past nothyng at all, whom (being the figure of the tymes that nowe are) Iesus trained out of the hard and miserable bondage of the E∣gipcians, through the reade sea in to libertie: but euen the same, whome he mer∣cifully presetued whan they cryed vnto him, he destroyed agayn after a worse sorte, whan they distrusted and murmured againste God in the deserte. That, which the bondage of Egipte was vnto them, the bondage of synnes was vn∣to vs: that whiche Pharao that straight and intolerable lorde was vnto them, the deuil was thesame vnto vs, vnder whose tyranny for our owne synnes sake we were intangled. They puttyng theyr truste in God, escaped safely through the myddes of the waters in to libertye: and we in beleuing the Gospell, haue through Baptisme escaped Satans enterest. But like as some of them made not spede with all one fayth in to the lande of promise: and vnto them the good∣nes of God was not onely vnauaylable, but also it turned in to the heape of theyr damnacion: euen so vnto vs it auayleth nothyng to haue once set aparte our synnes, onles we also growe forwarde with constaunt myndes in to better, and better, and preace to the enheritaunce of the life of heauen. Moreouer I would haue you to remembre this also, that it profited not euen the aungelles them selues to be so created, that they were companions of the Godhead, but assone as they had chaunged that moste fortunate nature through theyr owne

wickednes, and persisted not still in the condicion they were in, he threwe them downe headlong out of heauen, and hauyng depryued them of the light of hea∣uen, he damned them in euerlasting darkenes in hel. And there they are reserued in cheynes that can not be loced, vnto the day of the last iudgement, wherin be∣yng condemned they shall be commaunded to euerlastyng paynes. Nowe So∣dome and Gomorre and the residue of the cities therunto adioynyng (where as they florished in all pleynteous wealthe of thynges) because they abused the li∣berall bounteousnes of God vnto riot and outragious luste, defilyng them sel∣ues with wiked and abominable sortes of filthines, are dispatched by the wrath of God, being consumed with fyre from heauen, to thintente they myght bee an example vnto other that abuse the benefites of Christ vnto the filthynes of life. For they shall not escape the like peyne, that synne after like sorte. Doe not they sinne after like sorte, which being deluded with slouening dreames of false plea∣sures, doe not only defile theyr owne bodies, but also set naught by theyr ru∣lers and those that are in autorytie: and are not afrayed to rayle agaynst them, vnto whō for thautoryties sake they are in, they ought to do reuerēce? But Mi∣chael tharchangel, whan he had disputaciō with the deuil cōcerning the body of Moses, was yet afrayed opēly to speake raylingly to the deuill though he were the moste filthye feende. But where he could not abyde his wicked talkyng, he moderately tempred his curse, after this wyse: The lorde (quod he) rebuke thee. Than if Michael were afrayed to speake cursedly to the deuill▪ howe muche more intolerable a thyng do they, that are not afrayed to curse or speake euyl of men that are set in autoritie and dignitie ouer them? But these mennes peruer∣sitie is so great, that where they haue no cause, yet they speake euyl to the and nayle agaynst those thynges that they vnderstande not. On that other parte they are so sore cortupte with ryot and lecherous luste, that in those thynges, wherin brute beastes being quite without reason, lyue well and temperately, as in meate, drynke, and in carnall copulacion, in these matters they behaue them selues moste vnthriftyly. But woo bee vnto them that shall haue the commune rewarde to happen vpon them with those, whose wikednes they folowe the ex∣ample of. For they set not Iesus Christ before their eies to take example at, but Cayn that killed his owne brother, vnto whome the myschieuous sore of enuie perswaded fyrst of al to doe murther: and Balaam, who being corrupt with lu∣cre, went about to curse the people, whō God had blessed: & also Chore, who ha∣uyng stered a conspiracie, rose against Moses, and with his sworne conspirours was by an horrible example quyte dispatched. These are they, which where you liue purely and chastely and embrace Gospelike charitie, are as spottes disgra∣ceing your company: and where you fast, they geue them selues to ryotous ban∣kettinges one with an other. Nether are they restrayned for reuerence or feare of any man from lycencious filthynes but without respecte rashly folowe that thing, that pleaseth theyr own appetites. And yet in these dedes doing, they pro∣fesse them selues to be teachers of the gospell, and guydes to true vertue. But they are like vnto cloudes, whiche hang a loft, and where as they woulde ap∣peare to be disposed to rayne vpon the thyrsty grounde, yet they are drye, and haue no water to succour the grounde withall, but are rashlye caryed about here awaye and there awaye with theyr owne vayne lustes: beyng lyke vnto trees, whiche in the later ende of corne hatuest be fayre blossomed, and make a lyeng hope of fruite, whan they muste wyther by and by, not onely being all to∣gether

vnfrutefull, but also twyes dead, in that they neyther haue life them sel∣ues vnto Gospellyke godlynes, and drawe other with them into destruccion: nether is there any more hope of life in the, than trees plucked vp by the rotes, wherin is no hope that they shall spryng agayne: who inasmuche as they are vnquiet and geuen to sectes, they alwayes with some maner of newe vproare dysturbe the quietnes of the congregacyon, being like vnto the outragious waues of the sea, that rushe them vp on hye, and for all that they doe nothyng, but caste abroade theyr owne rebukes and shames at other as much as in them lieth: and are like vnto starres, whiche whan they pretende with shewe of light to be guydes of the waye, yet inasmuch as ther are raungers about, and folow not constauntly that whiche is streighte, but are led awaye by theyr owne af∣fectes now hither now thyther, they carye those that bee symple and incircum∣specte into shipwrake. These maner startes that set out them selues with a false feyned light in this world before men, shal not escape the iudgement of God, al∣though he doe not nowe presently punysh them, but reserueth them to the eter∣nall darkenes of hell. These men, albeit they are risen vp in our tymes, yet leste you should thinke that some new thyng were chaunced vnto you, Enoch, which was the seuenth from Adam, prophecyed of them long agoe, and of their tor∣mentes which they must in tyme commyng suffre. For he speaketh on this wise: Beholde the lorde commeth with an innumerable multitude of his saynctes, to practice iudgement agaynste all, and to reproue all those that are wiked, of all theyr dedes whiche they haue wikedly doone, and of all thinges that they haue stubbernely and fearcely spoken agaynst him: not only those that are naughty synfull lyuers, but also the wiked and contumelious persones agaynste God. For in dede they, seing they measure y^• felicitie of this life by the pleasure of the body, beare impaciently, if they fortune to haue affliccion or discommoditie, ne∣ther are they afrayed to murmure agaynste God in theyr querilinges, that he made manne after suche sorte, that he should be but of shorte life, that he should be endaungered to diseases, wishing this life to be moste exceadingly long, and out of daungier of displeasures, because they haue no truste of the lyfe to come. And yet where they can perceaue these so filthye and so vile matters in theyr myndes, yet theyr mouth boasteth of certayn greate high matters, and profes∣seth a certayn wonderfull learned loue of wisedome, where as they not onely serue voluptuousnes most vilest that may be, but also handmaking of gaynes, whiche thinge dooeth moste princip••lly defile the doctrine of Christe. For they speake not those thinges that the trueth of the Gospel teacheth, but the thinges that are pleasaunt and acceptable to them, whom they hope to get any vaun∣tage by. Agaynst the poore they are tyrannes, but towardes the ryche they are very clawbackes. The malice of these men shall the lesse encombre you (dear∣ly beloued) if ye remembre, that it was tolde before hande in tymes paste of the other of the Apostles of our lord Iesu Christe, namely of Paule and Pe∣ter. For they tolde vs, that in the later tymes there shoulde rise vp mockers, that shoulde defyle the most pure doctrine of Christe with theyr wiked gredy∣nes, not lyuing after the rule of the Gospell, but after theyr owne wiked and abominable affectes. And them a manne maye knowe by thys marke. Wher∣as other that lyue after the spirite of Christe, and hauyng contemned earthy thinges set theyr studie vpon heauenly thynges, agree in one quiet concorde, these stiere vp dissencions, because they bee worldelinges, and geuyng them

selues in to the seruice of worldly affectes, and voyde of the spirite, they hunt after voluptuous pleasures, seke to reigne aloft, and scrape after lucre. And those that set theyr myndes vpon these matters, are not fitte for Christen con∣corde. For they had rather disturbe the tranquilitie of the flocke, than to bee brought in to ordre. But as for you, deare brethren, that are spirituall, see you geue diligence, that you maye be more and more, as lyuing stones, heaped to∣gether in to the buylding of God, cleauing fast to the sure foundacion of your moste holy sacred faithe. Once you were perswaded, that the godly shoulde not want theyr rewardes, how sore so euer they are afflycted here in this life, require not rewarde therfore in this worlde: and the wiked should not faile of theyr de∣serued tormentes, couet not to reuenge your selues. And therfore make earnest cry••ng for the helpe of God continually with pure and spirituall prayers, and preserue you euery one other with mutuall concorde, and mutuall charitie. For God heareth none but those that be of one harte. Nether put you any distrust, if you be turmoyled sondry wayes in this worlde for Christes sake▪ but loke for the mercie of God to be exhibited not in this life, but in the lyfe that neuer shall ende. In the meane season hauyng consideracion of the persones, geue you dili∣gence, to saue al men, some gently and frendely in calling them agayn vnto bet∣ter purpose, and the other saue with feare, as if you catched them out of the fire: and hate not y^• mē, but this carcas defiled with yearthy affectes, wherwith mans mynde is burthened and defiled, as it were a cote soyled in filthe. And it is con∣uenient to amende other mens faultes so much the more gentlie, in that no man being conuersaunt in this sely body can chose but bee vncleane. For that is not in the power of man leste any manne should boastingly chalenge prayse to him selfe, but all glorye, might, empire and power bee onely vnto God our sauiour, through Iesus Christ our lord, not onely in this world, but before all worldes and in all ages to come for euer & euer. For in dede there is none but god alone that is hable to geue thys vnto those that labour for it, that although being en∣uironed with the sely frayle body, the world calleth you on euery side away frō the purpose of godlynes, yet you kepe your selues Innocent still to the ende, & that not onely mē can fynd nothing in your maners, to fynde faulte at, but also that you are ordayned such in the sight of Goddes Maiestie, that he is dis∣pleased with nothyng in you, whiche seeth the moste inwarde passages of your myndes. And whan that shall come to passe, you shall reioyce and be glad in the commyng of our lorde Iesu Christ, whan o∣ther shall make heauy cheare, whiche seme in the meane space to lyue swetly. And that thys maye so be, prayer ought to bee made with all earnest desyres.

Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon Iude.

Notes

• The chari∣tie of the Gospel ma∣keth one to be as glad of an others good, & to be as sory for an others hurt as though it were to him self, & not al worldly su••
• staunce to be thinune, as the ••hant as∣••icall Ana∣baptistes do wikedly dreame.