mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

My beloved, as I was strongly bent upon writing to you of our common salvation, I thought it necessary to write to you at present, and exhort you to contend earnestly for the faith, which was once delivered to the saints.

Now, I would call to your remembrance what you once were inform'd of, that when the Lord had delivered the people from the land of Egypt, he afterward destroyed those that were disobedient.

Now to him that is able to keep you from falling, and make you appear in his glorious presence, without defect, and full of joy:

For certain men have insinuated themselves among you, who were formerly proscrib'd to be punish'd; impious men, who pervert the divine favour to licentiousness, and renounce their only master, and Jesus Christ our Lord.

yet these visionary debauchees despise princes, and traduce dignitys.

so it was with Sodom, Gomorrha, and the neighbouring cities, who abandoning themselves to the same licentiousness and abominable passions, were made examples by suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

and the angels which kept not their original dignity, but deserted their proper abode, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, to the judgment of the great day.

unhappy creatures! they have followed the practices of Cain, they have addicted themselves to the mercenary illusions of Balaam, and perish in their rebellion like Core.

As for these, they inveigh against what they do not understand: and abuse those natural instincts which regulate brute animals.

Of these did Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesy in these words, "see! the Lord is coming with ten thousand of his saints,

raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame: wandering lights, to whom is reserv'd the thickest darkness for ever.

they are a disgrace to your love-feasts, they indulge themselves at your festivals without reserve: clouds without water, transported with every wind: trees whose fruit soon withers and is useless, twice dead and rooted up:

As for you, my beloved, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ have formerly told you.

to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the impious among them, of all the impious actions they have committed, and of all the injurious expressions, which impious sinners have utter'd against him."

These are murmurers, complainers, who pursue their own passions: their language swells with flattery, which they offer to the personages of men from a prospect of gain.

for they assur'd you, there would be impostors in the last days, who would follow their own impious passions.

and thereby cultivate the divine favour, in the expectation of eternal life by the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Make use of your discernment; some reprove:

these are they who distinguish themselves, though they are sensual, and have nothing that is spiritual.

of others be compassionately tender, snatching them, as it were, out of the fire: and avoid even the garment of the infected.

Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those that are sanctified by God the father, and by their vocation are reserved for Jesus Christ.

whereas Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, did not take the liberty to inveigh against him, but said, "the Lord rebuke thee."

but you, my brethren, improve yourselves in your most holy faith, present your addresses by the holy spirit,

to God only wise, our saviour, be glory, magnificence, power, and empire, both now and for ever.