Commentary on Peter and Jude, Title page – Dedication
A COMMENtarie or Expoſition vppon the twoo Epistles generall of Sainct Peter, and that of Sainct JVDE. First faithfullie gathered out of the Lectures and Preachinges of that worthie Inſtrumente in Goddes Churche, Doctour Martine Luther. And now out of Latine, for the ſinguler benefite and comfort of the Godlie, familiarlie tranſlated into Engliſhe by Thomas Newton.
¶Imprinted at London for Abraham Veale dwellyng in Paules Churchyard at the ſigne of the Lābe. 1581.
¶TO THE RIGHT HOnourable, Sir Thomas Bromeley Knight, one of her Maiesties moste honourable priuie Counſell, and Lorde Chauncelor of Englande.
THE tranſlation of theſe godlie and comfortable Commentaries of Maister Luther vponupon the Epistles generall of the bleſſed Apostles Peter and Jude, beeyng fullie finiſhed and brought to an ende, it was the eaſieſt matter of many, where to bethink mee of a fitte Patrone, vnderunder whom to ſhield the labours of ſo worthie an Organe in the Churche of God, and myne owne trauailes therein (ſuche as thei bee) frō the rancorous rout of ſuche bawlyng Baalites and arrogant Apistes, as with open Iawes will bee readie to barke at the ſounde doctrine of Faithe and Maners, by hym heerein with a moste bolde ſpirite, maintained and vttered. I was (I ſaie, ſoone reſolued with my ſelf, to ſettle my choiſe in your Lordſhippe: of whoſe cheerefull acceptaunce (ſuche is your Godlie zeale) J could not any whitte doubte: And of whoſe courteous construction of my honest and harmeleſſe meanyng heerein (ſuche is your honourable inclination) J deemed it almoſte hainous, to put any diffidence, or to harbour within mee ſo muche as a ſparke or Mite of the leaste ſuspition. None ſo wilfullie blinde, nor ſo witleſlie bee ſotted, but hath bothe ſeene and knowen, what a generall benefite it pleaſed the Lorde in merciemercy, to ſhewe vntounto the worlde, beeyng almoſte whollie whelmed in the Suddes of Superstition, and desperatelie drowned in the Dregges of Jdolatrie, by the miniſterie of this one man: oppoſyng hymſelf (in defence of the glorious Gospell of GOD) againste all the Pedlarie of Pope and Popelynges, and againste all the rable of Cozenyng Caterpillers in the Kyngdome of Darkeneſſe, characterized and brended with the marke of the Beast. The triflyng traſhe and ridiculous rifferaffe of whiche Cacolike Synagogue (for ſo is it muche rather to bee tearmed then Catholike) this man with ſo vehement and zealous a ſpirite, hath ſo throughlie anatomized and vnripped, …) by ſuche ineuitable reaſons out of the infallible VVorde of God, ouerthrowen and confuted, that the rotten ragges thereof can not poſſiblie bee eft ſoones peeced: The crackte credite of ſuche Motheaten ſtuffe neuer againe ſalued: nor the totteryng walles of ſuche a roiſtyng and ruffianly raigne, euer any more after the former galantiſe be reared vp & reestabliſhed. In ſo muche that it maie bee thought, that our mercifull God, pitiyng the miſerable thraldome wherin his people vnderunder that Romiſhe Pharao had long laine captiued, and in his Justice, meanyng at length to ridde the worlde of thoſe deade Flies (whiche did nothyng els but corrupte and tainte ſweete Ointmentes) and as it were to launce thoſe Botches and Biles, that ſo long had festured in the bodie of the Common wealthe of Jſraell, appointed and raiſed vp this man, to bee as the Malle that ſhould knocke that blasphemous Goliah in the pate, and the Leeche that ſhould applie vntounto him & his greazed generatiō ſuche a ſtrong Pill, whiche thei ſhould neuer bee able to ſwallowe. His life alſo & conuerſation beyng ſo vnblameable, that the ſtarkest Balaamite and ſpightfulleſt Rabbine emong them (of whiche ſtampe there neuer wanteth ſtoare) could neuer iustlie reprooue hym of faultes, other then ſuche, as generally followe the infirmitie of Man. Jn ſo muche as that reuerend and renoumed Clerke Eraſmus (whoſe testimonie herein maie ſtande for many, and the rather for that he ſomewhat to muche (the more pitie) for priuate respectes, bolstered and plaſtered the deformities and blottes of the Romiſhe Clergie) pleaſauntly by waie of anſwere to a queſtion, mooued vntounto hym by the good Duke of Saxony, ſaied: that the onelyonly reaſon why poore Luther was ſo deadly hated, was for none other cauſe, but for that, by his preaching and writing, hee had taken awaie the Croune from the Pope and Biſhoppes, and the Beallie from the Monkes: and that otherwiſe he was bothe a Godlie, a learned, a vertuous, and a modest man. Jn the compaſſyng and atchieuyng whereof, little meruaile was it, though in his Style and maner of writyng, he ſeemed to ſome to bee ouer crabbed, ſeuere, ſharpe, and bityng: For (ſaied he) to remooue ſharpe & groſſe diſeaſes, God hath ſent in this laste age of the VVorlde, a ſharpe & austere Phiſition. And as wee reade of the Repairers of Battered Hieruſalem, that with the one hande thei builte the VValles, and with the other helde their ſweard, to bee readie to encounter the enemie: So maie wee ſaie of Luther, that he with the one halfe of his ſtudie, combated and conflicted with the Aduerſaries of Gods truthe, and with the other halfe, generallie benefited the Churche, by pennyng & writing ſundrie notable enarrations vponupon the Sacred Scriptures, and Catholique Religion. How valiauntlie alſo hee plaied the Chriſtian Champion againste Meritemongers, and all Clouters vp of their Saluation with the Figgeleaues of their owne wretched VVoorkes and condignitie; and what an vndaunted Hercules he ſhewed hymſelf, in choppyng of ſtill thoſe ſuccreaſyng heades of that Jtalian Hydra, ſundrie his learned Bookes plentifullie and at large declare, and this VVoorke emong many others doeth ſufficientlie atteſtifie. The whiche with all humilitie J heere offer and exhibite vntounto your lordſhip: aſſuring my ſelf, that for your approued wiſedome, you will not onelyonly allowe of it, but alſo for the high Authoritie wherein you are worthilie placed, you will accordyngly countenaunce it. The Lorde from heauen bleſſe and ſtrengthen you with his Spirite of zeale, fortitude and boldneſſe, to be a Buttreſſe and Proppe for the propagation, paſſage, and continuaunce of his glorious Gospell emong vsus, your poore Countreimen of this noble Realme of Englande, to the encoragement of all true Profeſſours of the ſame, and to the vtter terrour, extirpation, and weedyng out of all cancarde aduerſaries and malicious Grinnagods, beyng not onelie prickes in the feete, and Thornes in the eyes, but euen ſplintes in the handes, and Daggers at the hartes of all the godlie: That by the prudent pollicie, and carefull vigilancie of your Honour, with others her Maiesties moste Noble and zelous Counſellours, all dolledrenche Drones maie bee espied, and caste out of the Hiue of the Common wealthe, and either bee conuerted, least vtterly thei periſhe, or ſpedily confounded, least thei procure and breed more treacherous annoiance. From Butley in Cheſshire, this first of October 1581.
Your L. moste humble, Thomas Newton.