t the Jews might not regard it with idolatrous
veneration, and for this reason the angel Michael must needs oppose
the devil, who wished that the body should be discovered, that the
Jews might pray to it; and although Michael was an archangel (says
Jude), yet was he not so bold as to curse even the devil,--and yet
these scoffers trample under foot the authority that has been
ordained of God; they curse in seven, eight and nine ways, though
they are men merely; while this archangel dared not curse the worst
devil that was ever condemned, but said no more than, the Lord
restrain and punish thee.

V. 10. _But these scoff at what they know nothing of, for what they
know naturally as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt
themselves._ Such scoffers are they, that they can do nothing else
but anathematize and curse, and give over to the devil for his own
not only kings and dignities, but God also and the saints, as may be
seen in the bull, _C[oe]na Domini_. They know not that our salvation
stands on the foundation of faith and love; they cannot endure that
their works should be rejected and condemned, and that it should be
preached that Christ alone must help us by His works. Therefore they
curse and scoff at all Christian doctrine which they are ignorant of.
But what they know, through natural perception,--as the founding of
masses and the like,--will bring in gold and treasures; to this they
devote themselves with energy, and thereby corrupt themselves and
every one else.

V. 11. _Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain._ Cain
struck his brother dead, simply because he was more pious than
himself. For his brother's offering was acceptable before God, but
his own was not. So now the way of Cain is, to rely on one's own
works, and scoff at those works which are good and true, and
circumvent and slay those who go in the right way, just as these very
ones also are doing.

_And have hurried for reward into the error of Balaam._ They should
be fixed inwardly in the hope of Divine grace; yet they go forth and
put their trust in various outward works, of this kind and that, and
they do them only for the sake of gold, that they may fill their
bellies, like the prophet Balaam, as we have heard in Peter's
Epistle.

_And perished in the rebellion of Korah._ Of the rebellion of Korah,
and how he was destroyed, with his house, we have an account in the
fourth book of Moses, xvi. Moses was summoned and calle