Exposition of Jude, To the reader
infinite in recitall: and partly for that these hauehave most valiantly like Dauids worthies broken thorough these Philistims forces, and brought vntounto vsus in despight of them the pure water of the well of life; among whom this our Author last named was not the least, nor of so small note through the Christian world, that I can thinke by my penne to adde any moment vntounto his: whose writings so sauory and so innocent hauehave sufficiently proclaimed his profound knowledge in all learning, his prudent zeale, his mature iudgement, with an admirable dexteritie and facilitie, yea I may say felicitie, (for herein hee raigned, that I may vse the phrase of the reuerend Deane of his Maiesties Chappel, properly applied vntounto him at his funerals, which with singular approbation he performed) in the direct resoluing the obscurest doubts of Diuinitie, and the acute loosing and dissoluing the hardest knots of Papists, so briefly and yet so perspicuously, as that his most polemicall writings,Reformed Catholike. being first by himself in our vulgar tongue published, could scarce meete euen amongst our common people, with such an vncapeable reader (if any whit catechised) into whom they might not conuey some competent conceit and vnderstanding of the deepest and darkest differences betweene the Papists, those patrons and defenders of darknes, and our selues. But besides these, such a tongue of the learned had the Lord God giuen him, that he knew to minister, and ministred according to knowledge a word in due time to him that was weary: Isa. 50.4.the which most weighty duty of the Ministery was so familiar vntounto him, that he made it his holidayes exercise (as his recreation) to resolue cases of conscience. In his ordinary Ministry how powerfull was he? Which of his hearers cannot confesse that he spake as one hauing authority? Adde now vntounto these his labours, an holy and harmelesse life: for why should I disioyne them, seeing they were so happily combined in him? betweene which two (both of them conspiring to the glory of God, and his cause) was such a sweete harmonie and concent, that in reading his writings any man might see the manner of his life, and in seeing his life, he might also therein reade his writings: for his life spak… what his pen writ, and his person was the president of his written precepts. Bu… when these vnweariable labours had quickly worne out such a candle, who so free…ly spent himselfe to giuegive others light; such a life was not shut vp, but by a propor…tionall, euen a religious and christian death: of the which when God made (wit… some others) my selfe a beholder, I could not but conceiue him a messenger on… of a thousand, singled out by God to giuegive directions to others, both how to liue and that well, as also in the right manner of dying well, who himselfe wa… so trained to a blessed death by a holy life, whereby he became both in life an… death a most happie and blessed man, for whose written precepts concerning both the whole Church is bound to blesse God with vsus: but especially we his ordinar… hearers in Cambridge, who besides were also the beholders of both, cannot be … so much the more strengthned and confirmed (our owne heedlesse ingratitude … resisting or withstanding vsus) by how much the eye is quicker then the eare, an… the sight a more certaine sense then can be the hearing. But we will leaue hi… with God, and omit those worthie works which himselfe whilest he liued (acco…ding as the relaxation both from the weekely labours of his calling, and the day… weakenes of his body would permit) did publish, not only for the watering of th… famous Seminary where he liued, but euen out of his abundance and full bucke… to the refreshing of all the heritage of God, and come to our owne purpose. It is … now to be wished; but bewailed rather, that all his works were not finished by hi…selfe before his owne course, seeing the orphane writings of the learned publish… by others are commonly lesse polished: for sometimes the Authors mind is not …ken, and sometimes his matter is mistaken, otherwhiles his forme is inuert… and not seldome either his owne elegances and proprieties which are like goads we neglected, or something besides his owne is iniuriously inserted: but yet the Lord hauing loosed him from his labours, the christian care of his executors commendeth it selfe to the Church herein, that before it should be depriued of any part of his paines so profitably employed, desirous they are to communicate them, …f not altogether in such exact manner as they would, yet as perfectly as they can, contented rather to hazzard the due regard of the author himselfe, by committing vntounto his schollers hands the publishing of his labours, then that the Church should want them by their holding and hiding them with themselues. As for my selfe, my wish was to hauehave bene spared in these paines, both because of my owne weekely imployments, and that in this place wherein the busines might hauehave bene committed to diuers others farre better furnished with gifts, and fitted with oportunitie then my selfe: but especially seeing how safe and wise a thing it is to sit silent where a man need not speake, and that in these dayes wherein eueryevery mans … is in eueryevery mans boate, and most men are become left-handed in receiuing things which are reached vntounto them with the right;Iudg. 20.16 too like the 700. left-handed Beniamites, whose sole commendation seemeth to stand in this, that they can throw stones and darts against others at a haire-breadth and not faile: yet notwithstanding considering my calling hereunto, as also being after a sort reared … by the Poets rule,foreign. Euripid. not doubting but that the matter following is farre better then silence, I was contented at the instant intreatie of the Authors executors to …ndertake the publishing of this Epistle, which himselfe had in his hart (if God had giuen him longer time) to hauehave with his owne hand set and sent out in it … natiue beauty and perfection: wherein what my paines hauehave bene, they only … who hauehave fathered other mens posthumous writings. I hauehave not troden in their steps who make the grounds of the authors serue their owne discourses (for so should I hauehave made this exposition conteining in it the summe of 66. Sermons, exceed the measure euen of a tedious Commentary) but in the Authors owne, who was wont to transcribe out of the notes of some of his hearers, the heads, and …rrow of things more largely in publike deliuered, explaining the points which …ere more obscure, and with a second hand polishing and perfecting things so explained. Yea herein imitating not onelyonly the Author of the Commentarie, but … of the text and Epistle, the Apostle Iude himselfe: who perceiuing the men …f his daies quickly waxing wearie of hearing or reading Sermons or Epistles, if …tended to any length or prolixitie, condiscended so farre to their infirmitie as … contract, and abridge much matter into a very short and summarie Epistle. VponUpon the same consideration also hauehave I studied breuitie, so farre as in such mul…plicitie of matter I might auoide obscuritie: hauing herein employed my best p…es, that it might appeare that though I may hauehave failed in other complements, yet so farre as my endeuour could erect me, not in faithfulnes to the Author either of the text or Commentarie. The fitnes and seasonablenes of this exposition may seeme to pleade for the more gracious acceptance of it: which being …eathed out by the Apostolicall spirit against the heretikes, and heresies which …ere to infect, and infest the last ages of the world, may by Gods blessing in the due … hereof, strengthen the people of God in the land, in the discerning and … both the wicked seducers themselues daily sent in amongst vsus: those Popish instruments (I meane) who (like so many diuels compassing the earth) … so diligent to compasse sea and land to make carnall Protestants Popish Prose…es, and so seuen-fold more the children of the diuell than they were before; as … their diabolicall doctrines which eueryevery where it meeteth withall. Let them out of their malice (as that foule mouthed Franciscane Feuerdentius, Out of …elsa…us a …unnagate Frier.who hath not throughout his booke passed many lines without some egregious lie or other) applie the scope of the Epistle to blacke the doctrines and liues of those most excellent instruments of God the restorers of true religion, Luther, Caluin, Beza, &c. yet as a milstone rolled vp a mountaine, or as a ball tossed against a brasen wall; so returneth and recoyleth it vponupon themselues, as this graue Diuine hath through this Exposition in particular diuinely prooued. Reade it (Christian Reader) with diligence, faithfully consider and remember what thou readest, and the Lord giuegive thee vnderstanding in all things, and build thee vp further vponupon thy most holie faith.
From my house in Cambridge, May 24. Anno 1606. Thine in the Lord Iesus, THO. TAYLOR.