JUDE, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them who are sanctified by God the Father, and to be preserved by Jesus Christ, to the called: May mercy, and peace, and love, be multiplied to you.

      3.--Beloved, making all haste to write to you concerning the common salvation, I thought it necessary to write to you, exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith, formerly delivered to the saints. For certain men have come in privily, who long ago were before written to this very condemnation; ungodly men, perverting the favor of our God to lasciviousness, and denying the only sovereign Lord, even our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you formerly knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them who did not believe. Also the angels who kept not their first estate, but left their proper habitation, he has reserved to everlasting chains, under darkness, to the judgment of the great day. Likewise Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, which, after their example, had habitually committed uncleanness, and gone after other flesh, are set forth an example, suffering the punishment of an eternal fire. Truly, in like manner also shall these dreamers be punished--who, indeed, defile the flesh, despise authority, and blaspheme dignities. Whereas, Michael, the Arch Angel, when contending with the devil, (he disputed about the body of Moses,) did not attempt to bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you:" but these, indeed, revile those things which they do not know; but what things they do know, naturally, as animals void of reason, by these they destroy themselves. Alas for them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and have run evidently in the error of Balaam's hire, and have perished in the rebellion of Korah. These men are spots in your love feasts, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear. They are clouds without water, carried about of winds: withered autumnal trees without fruit; twice dead; rooted out; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness forever is reserved. Now, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, indeed, concerning these men; saying, "Behold the Lord comes with his myriads of holy angels, to pass sentence on all, and to convict all the ungodly among them, of all their deeds of ungodliness, which they have impiously committed; and of all the hard things, which [378] ungodly sinners have spoken against him." These are murmurers, and complainers, who walk according to their own lusts; and their mouth speaks great swelling words. They admire persons, for the sake of gain. But, beloved, remember the words which were spoken by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; that they said to you, that in the last time there would be scoffers, walking according to their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying with a holy spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to eternal life. And making a difference, have compassion indeed on some; but others save by fear, snatching them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now to him who is able to guard you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to God alone our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now, and throughout all ages. Amen.

[TLO4 378-379]