THE

GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE.

This Epistle was written by Judas, not Iscariot [John xiv. 22], one of the Apostles: when he was called to be an Apostle is not recorded.

It is addressed to all Christians.

It was evidently written after Paul's Epistle to Timothy, and the Epistles of Peter, as he alludes to them. It contains twenty-five verses.

1 JUDE, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called :

2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, of whom it was before written, who were of old known as those who would incur this condemnation,

ungodly men [2 Pet. ii. 1], turning the grace of our God unto lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt [the Israelites], afterward destroyed them that believed not [Pharaoh and all his host].

6 And the angels, which were not contented with their first estate [the station in which God had placed them], but rebelliously aspired to change their habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.

7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

8 Likewise also these wicked schemers [contrivers of impure doctrines and practices, ver. 4], despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

10 But these are far worse; they speak evil of those things which they know not: and more also, for those things which by nature they must know, even as beasts know by instinct, in these things they corrupt even their corrupt nature.

11 Woe unto them! they have gone in the murderous way of Cain, and run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished their souls in the gainsaying [the opposition to God and his ministers] of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram [Numb. xvi.]

12 These will eat equally with you and at idol temples, spots are they at your feast of charity, feeding themselves without fear; clouds are they without water [from which no refreshing showers can come], light, carried about by every wind; trees whose fruit untimely withereth; nay, which have no fruit, twice dead [by original sin and by falling away from Christ], which shall never again revive, plucked up by the roots.

13 Like the raging angry waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, unstable as wandering [falling] stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints,

15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration [flatterers], because of advantage [to gain their own ends].

17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Peter iii.;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

19 These be they who separate themselves from the church, sensual, seeking worldly forms, and worldly advantage, not having the real spirit of Jesus Christ. 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference between these perverse, obstinate, corrupt, wicked and totally lost wretches, and those who repent and amend.

23 And others save by putting them in fear, urging upon them the terrors of everlasting judgment, forcibly drawing them from their wicked ways, as it were pulling them out of the fire; and even in so doing having no familiarity with them, but rather abhorring their habits of iniquity and impiety.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD-STREET-HILL.