He exhorteth them to stand to their old faith, shevving them by examples,
that it is damnable not to continue and be constant: 8 inueighing
against the lecherie, blasphemie, apostasie, banketing of the heretikes,
14 and that their damnation vvas long foretold. 17 Catholikes therfore
to be vnmoueable, to reproue the obstinate, to recouer al not desperate,
to confirme the vveake, and to liue them selues vertuously and vvithout
mortal sinne, vvhich by Gods grace they may doe.
IVDE the seruant of IESVS Christ, and brother of Iames: to them that are
in God the Father beloued, and in IESVS Christ preserued, and called.
2 Mercie to you, and peace and charitie be accomplished.
3 My deerest, taking al care to vvrite vnto you of your common
saluation, I thought it necessarie to vvrite vnto you: beseeching you to
contend for the faith once deliuered to the sainctes. 4 For there are
certaine men secretely entred in (vvhich vvere long ago prescribed vnto
this iudgement) impious, transferring the grace of our God into
riotousnes, and denying the onely Dominator, and our Lord IESVS Christ.
5 But I vvil admonish you, that once knovv al things, that IESVS, sauing
the people out of the land of AEgipt, secondly destroied them vvhich
beleeued not. 6 But the Angels vvhich kept not their pricipalitie, but
forsooke their owne habitation, he hath reserued vnder darkenesse in
eternal bondes vnto the iudgement of the great day. 7 As Sodom and
Gomorrhe, and the cities adioyning in like maner hauing fornicated, and
going after other flesh, vvere made an example, sustaining the paine of
eternal fire. 8 In like maner these also defile the flesh, and despise
dominion, & blaspheme maiestie. 9 Vvhen Micheal the Archangel, disputing
vvith the Diuel, made altercation for the body of Moyses: he durst not
inferre iudgment of blasphemie, but said, Our Lord 'commaund' thee.
10 But these, vvhat things so euer certes they are ignorant of, they
blaspheme: and vvhat things so euer naturally, as dumme beastes, they
knovv, in those they are corrupted.
11 Vvo vnto them, 'vvhich' haue gone in the vvay of Cain: and vvith
the errour of Balaam, haue for revvard povvred out them selues, and haue
perished in the contradiction of Core. 12 These are in their bankets,
spottes, feasting together vvithout feare, feeding them selues, cloudes
vvithout vvater vvhich are caried about of vvindes, trees of autumne,
vnfruitful, tvvise dead, plucked vp by the rootes, 13 raging vvaues of
the sea, foming out their ovvne confusions, vvandering starres: to vvhom
the storme of darkenesse is reserued for euer. 14 And of these
propheceied Enoch, the seuenth from Adam, saying, Behold our Lord is come
in his holy thousandes, 15 to doe iudgement against al, and to reproue al
the impious, of al the vvorkes of their impietie vvherby they haue done
impiously, and of al the hard thinges vvhich impious sinners haue spoken
against him. 16 These are murmurers, ful of complaintes, vvalking
according to their ovvne desires, and their mouth speaketh pride,
admiring persons for gaine sake.
17 But you my deerest, be mindeful of the vvordes vvhich haue been
spoken before by the Apostles of our Lord IESVS Christ, 18 vvho told you,
that in the last time shal come mockers, according to their ovvne desires
vvalking in impieties. 19 These are they vvhich segregate them selues,
sensual, hauing not the Spirit. 20 But you my deerest, building your
selues vpon 'our' most holy faith, in the holy Ghost, praying, 21 keepe
your selues in the loue of God, expecting the mercie of our Lord IESVS
Christ vnto life euerlasting. 22 And these certes reproue being iudged:
23 but them saue, pulling out of the fire. And on other haue mercie in
feare: hating also that vvhich is carnal, the spotted cote.
24 And to him that is able to preserue you vvithout sinne, and to
sette you immaculate before the sight of his glorie in exultation in the
comming of our Lord IESVS Christ, 25 to the onely God our Sauiour by
IESVS Christ our Lord be glorie and magnificence, empire and power before
al worldes, and novv and for al vvorldes euermore. Amen.