9 I had written perhaps to the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, doth not receive us. 10 For this cause, if I come, I will advertise his works which he doth; with malicious words prating against us. And as if And as if these things were not enough for him, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and them that do receive them he forbiddeth, and casteth out of the church. Ver. 9. Diotrephes, who loveth, &c. This man seemeth to be in power, but not a friend to the faithful; therefore this part of the letter might be an admonition to him from the apostle, 11 Dearly beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doth good, is of God: he that doth evil, hath not seen God. 12 To Demetrius testimony is given by all, and by the truth itself, yea and we also and thou give testimony: knowest that our testimony is true. 13 I had many things to write unto thee: but I would not by ink and pen write to thee. 14 But I hope speedily to see thee, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name. THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF ST. JUDE THE ST. JUDE, who wrote this Epistle, was one of the twelve Apostles, and bro. ther to ST. JAMES the Less. The time it was written is uncertain, only it may be inferred from ver. 17, that few or none of the Apostles were then living, except ST. JOHN. He inveighs against the heresies and wicked practices of the Simonians, Nicolaites and Gnostics, 4c, describing them and their leaders by strong epithets and similes. He exhorts the faithful to contend earnestly for the faith first delivered to them, and to beware of hereties. CHAP. I. He exhorts them to stand to the faith first delivered to them and to be. ware of heretics. JUDE the servant of JESUS Christ, and brother of James: to them that are beloved in God the Father, and preserved in JESUS Christ, and called. 2 Mercy unto you, and peace and charity be fulfilled. 3 Dearly beloved, taking all care to write unto you concerning your common salvation, I was under a necessity to write unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men are secretly | railing, speech, but said: The entered in (who were written of Lord command thee. long ago unto this judgment) ungodly men, turning the grace of our Lord God unto riotousness, and denying the only Sovereign Ruler, and our Lord JESUS Christ. 5 I will therefore admonish you, though ye once knew all things, thatJESUS, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, did afterwards destroy them that believed not: 6 And the angels who kept not their principality, but forBook their own habitation, he hath reserved under darkness in everlasting chains, unto the judgment of the great day. 7 As Sodom and Gomorrha, and the neighbouring cities, in like manner,having given themselves to fornication, and going after other flesh, were made an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. 8 In like manner these men also defile the flesh, and despise dominion, and blaspheme majesty. 10 But these men blaspheme whatever things they know not: and what things soever they naturally know, like dumb beasts, in these they are corrupted. 11 Wo unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain: and after the error of Balaam, they have for reward poured out themselves and have perished in the contradiction of Core. 12 These are spots in their banquets, feasting together without fear, feeding themselves, clouds without water which are carried about by winds, trees of the autumn unfruitful, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, 13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own confusion, wandering stars: to whom the storm of darkness is re served for ever. 14 Now of these Enoch alsa the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying: Behold, the Lord cometh with thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon 9. When Michael the Archangel, disputing with the devil, contended about the body of Moges, he durst not bring 16. 32-g 2 Pet. 2. 17.-h Apoc. 1. 7. against him the judgment of d Gen. 4. 8. Num. 22. 23.-Num. a Num. 14. 37.-b 2 Pet. 2. 4. Gen. devil would have had the body buried 19. 20. c Zach. 3. 2. Ver. 6. Principality, that is, the state in which they were first created, their original dignity. Ver. 8. Blaspheme majesty. Speak evil of them that are in dignity; and even utter blasphemies against the ver. 9. Contended about the body, &c. This contention, which is nowhere else mentioned in holy writ, was originally known by revelation, and transmitted by tradition. It is thought the occasion of it was that the in such a place and manner, as to be worshipped by the Jews with divine honours.-Ibid. Command thee; or, rebuke thee. Ver. 11. Gone in the way, &c. Heretics follow the way of Cain, by murdering the souls of their brethren; the way of Balaam, by putting a scandal before the people of God, for their own private ends; and the way of Core or Korah, by their opposition to the church governors of divine appoine ment. Ver. 14. Prophesied. This pra phecy was either known by tradition or from some book that is since lost. 403 our Lord Jesus Christ unto life everlasting.. 22 And some indeed reprove being judged: all, and to reprove all the ungodly for all the works of their ungodliness, whereby they have done ungodly, and of all the hard things which ungodly sin- 23 But others save, pulling ners have spoken against God. them out of the fire. And on 16 These are murmurers, full others have mercy, in fear: of complaints, walking accord-hating also the spotted garment ing to their own desires, and which is carnal. their mouth speaketh proud things, admiring persons for gain's sake. 17 But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord JESUS Christ. 18 Who told you, that in the last time there should come mockers, walking according to their own desires in ungodlinesses.ve 219 These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men, having not the spirit. 20 But you, my beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,rine diyaben gras 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of a Ps. 16. 10.-b 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 3. Ver. 17. But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful, &c. He now exhorts the faithful to remain steadfast in the belief and practice of what they had heard from the apostles, who had also foretold that in after times (Lit. in the last time) there should be false teachers, scoffing and ridiculing all revealed truths, abandoning them selves to their passions and lusts; who separate themselves from the catholic communion by heresies and schisms. Sensual men, carried away and enslaved by the pleasures of the senses. Ver. 20, 21. Building yourselves upon your most holy faith. Raising by your actions, a spiritual building, founded, 1st, upon faith; 2nd, on the love of God; 3rd, upon hope, whilst you are waiting for the mercies of God, and the reward of eternal life; 4th, Joined with the great duty of prayer. 24 Now to him, who is able to preserve you without sin, and to present you spotless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy in the coming of our Lord JESUS Christ, 25 To the only God our Saviour through JESUS Christ our Lord, be glory and magnificence, empire and power before all ages, and now, and for all ages of ages. Amen.. Ver. 22, 23. And some indeed reprove being judged. He gives them another instruction to practise charity in endeavouring to convert their neighbour, where they will meet with three sorts of persons. 1st. With per these may be said to be already judged, and condemned, they are to be sharply reprehended, reproved, and if possible, convinced of their error. 2nd. As to others you must endeavour to save them, by pulling them, as it were, out of the fire, from the ruin they stand in great danger of. 3rd. You must have mercy on others in fear, when you see then through ignorance and frailty, in danger of being drawn into the snares of these heretics; with these you must deal more gently and mildly, with a charitable compassion hating always, and teaching others to hate the carnal garment which is spotted, their sensual and corrupt manners, that defile both the soul and body. sons obstinate in their errors and sins; Ver. 24, 25. Now to him, &c. St. Jude concludes his epi tle with this doxology of praising God, and praying to the only God our Savicur, which may either signify God the Father, or God as equally agreeing to all the three persons, who are equally the cause of Christ's incarnation, and man's salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who, being God from eternity, took upon him our human nature, that he might become our Redeemer THE APOCALYPSE OF ST. JOHN THE APOSTLE. In the first, second, and third chapters of this Book are contained instructions and admonitions which Sr. JOHN was commanded to write to the seven bishops of the churches in Asia. And in the following chapters, to the end, are contained prophecies of things that are to come to pass in the church of Christ, particularly towards the end of the world, in the time of Antichrist. It was written in Greek, in the island of Patmos, where ST. JOHN was in banishment bu arden of the cruel emperor Domitian, about sixty-four years after our Lord's ascension. HE Revelation of JESUS Christ, which God gave unto him, to make known to his servants the things which must shortly come to pass and signified, sending by his angel to his servant John, 2 Who hath given testimony to the word of God, and the testimony of JESUS Christ, what things soever he hath seen. This 3 Blessed is he, that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy and keepeth those CHAP. I. Ver. 1. The things which must shortly come, and again it is said, ver. 3, The time is at hand. cannot be meant of all the things prophesied in the Apocalypse, where mention is made also of the day of judgment, and of the glory of heaven at the end of the world. That some things were to come to pass shortly, is evident, by what is said to the Seven Churches, chap. ii. and ill. Or that the persecutions foretold should begin shortly. Or that these words signified, that all time is short, and that from the coming of Christ, we are now in the last age or last hour. See 1 John H. 18. things which are written in it. For the time is at hand. 4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace be unto you and peace from him that is, and that was, and that is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, 5 And from JESUS Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us a kingdom and priests to God and his Father, to him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth shall bewail themselves because of him. Even so. Amen. a Exod. 3. 14.-b1 Cor. 15. 20. Col. 1. 18.-c Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 19. 1 John 1. 7.-d Isaias 3. 13. Matt. 24 30. Jude 1. 14. 8 I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord God, who is and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. 9 I John your brother and your partner in tribulation, and in the kingdom, and patience In Christ JESUS, was in the island, which is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of JESUS. 10 I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying: What thou seest, write in a book and send to the seven churches which are in Asia, to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamus, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. 12 And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks: 13 And in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, one ike to the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 And his head and his hairs were white, as white wool, and as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as in a burning furnace. And his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars. And from his mouth came out a sharp two-edged sword: and his face was as the sun shining in his power. 17 And when I had seen him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying: Fear not. ¿ I am the first, and the last, 18 And alive, and was dead, and behold I am living for ever and ever, and have the keys of death and of hell. 19 Write, therefore, the things which thou hast seen, and which are, and which must be done hereafter. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars, are the angels of the seven churches. And the seven candlesticks are the seven churches. [NTO the angel of the church of Ephesus write: These a Isaias 41. 4. and 44. 6. and 48. 12. things saith he, who holdeth the Infra, 21. 6. and 22. 13. Ver. 8. I am alpha and omega. These are the names of the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and signify the same as what follows: The beginning and the end; the first cause and last end of all beings: who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. These words signify the true God only, and are here applied to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is to come again to judge the living and Che dead. seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them that are evil, and thou hast tried them, who say they are'apostles, b Isaias 41. 4. and 44. 6. and 48. 12 Infra, 21. 6. and 22, 13, |