In the Gospel these are called Fratres Iesu, the brethren of Iesus: Iames and Ioseph, and Simon, and Iude. ^note Their father is called Alphaus, vvhere Iames is termed, Iames of Alphæus: and their mother, Maria Iacobi minoris. ^note Marie the mother of Iames the yonger and of Ioseph. ^note Vvhich Marie in an other place being called Maria Cleophæ, vve perceiue their father vvas named both Alphæus and also Cleophas. And that this Cleophas vvas brother to Ioseph our Ladies husband, ^note Hegesippus telleth vs. Therfore because Ioseph vvas called the father of Christ, his brothers children, vvere called the brethren, that is (according to the custom of the scripture also) the kinsmen of our Lord: and not because they vvere the children of Ioseph him self by an other vvife, much lesse (as Heluidius the heretike did blaspheme) by our B Ladie the perpetual virgin Marie. Hovvbeit some good authors say, that their mother Marie vvas the natural sister of our Ladie, and that therfore they are called, Fratres Domini, the brethren of our Lord.

Hovvsoeuer that be, three of them are reckened am&obar;g the 12. Apostles, Iames, and Simon Cananaus, and Iude. ^note Yea and that they vvere somevvhat more then Apostles, though lesse then Peter, S. Paul signifieth, vvhere he saith speaking of him self and Barnabas: As also the other Apostles, and the brethren of our Lord, and Cephas. 1. Cor. 9.

And as S. Luke calleth this Iude, Iude of Iames, so he calleth him self in this Epistle of his, Iude the seruant of Iesus Christ, and the brother of Iames. ^note S. Mathevv and S. Marke do call him Thaddaeus, as Lebbæus also in the Greeke. His feast and his brother Simons together, the Church keepeth Octob. 28. called Simon and Iudes day.

His Epistle is an Inuectiue against al heretikes (as it vvere a Commentarie of 2 Pet. 2.) and namely (as ^note S. Aug. hath told vs) against those, vvhich misconstred S. Paules Epistles and held Only faith, vvhom he calleth therfore, Men that transferre or peruert the grace of God into riotousnes, v. 4. exhorting Catholikes to be constant and vnmoueable from their old faith, and to contend for the keeping thereof, v. 3. and v. 20. For, heretikes (saith he) segregate them selues from the Church and from her faith. v. 19.

THE CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF IVDE THE APOSTLE. He exhorteth them to stand to their old faith, shovving 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 obstinase, 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.

1   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 decrest, 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 ^note into riotousnes, and denying the onely Dominator, and our Lord Iesvs Christ.

5    ^noteBut I vvil admonish you, that once knovv al things, that ^note Iesvs, sauing the people out of the land of Ægipt, ^note secondly destroied them vvhich beleeued not.

6   But the Angels vvhich kept not their principalitie, but forsooke their owne habitation, he hath reserued vnder darkenesse in eternal bondes vnto the iudgment of the great day.

7   As ^note Sodom and Gomorrhe, and the cities adioyning in like maner hauing ^note 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 ^note despise dominion, & blaspheme maiestie.

9   Vvhen Michael the Archangel, disputing vvith the Diuel, made altercation

09Q1497 for the body of Moyses: he durst not inferre iudgment of blasphemie, but said, Our Lord ^note commaund thee.

10   But these, vvhat things so euer certes they are ignorant of,09Q1498 they blaspheme: and vvhat things so euer naturally, as dumme beastes, they knovv, in those they are corrupted.

11   Vvo vnto them, ^note vvhich haue gone in the vvay of ^note09Q1499 Cain: and vvith the errour of ^note Balaam, haue for revvard povvred out them selues, and haue perished in the contradiction of Corè.

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, vnfruiteful, 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 prophecied 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, ^note that in the last time shal come mockers, according to their ovvne desires vvalking in impieties.

19   09Q1500These are they vvhich segregate them selues, sensual, hauing not the Spirit.

20   But you my deerest, building your selues vpon ^note 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 magnific&ebar;ce, empire and power before al worldes, and novv and for al vvorldes euermore. Amen.

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