nacion with my power haue I troden downe the hertes of all both hye and lowe In all these thinges also I sought rest a dwellinge in some enheritaunce So y e creator of all thinges gaue me a commaundement he that made me appoynted me a tabernacle and saide vnto me Let thy dwellinge be in Iacob and thy inheritaunce in Israel rote thy self amōge my chosen I was created from the begynninge and before the worlde shal not leaue of vnto the worlde to come In the holy habitacion haue I serued before him and so was I stablished in Sion In y e holy cite rested I in like maner in Ierusalem was my power I toke rote in an honourable people euen in the porcion of y e LORDE in his heretage kepte me in y e fulnes of the sayntes I am sett vp an hye like a Ceder vpō Libanus as a Cypers tre vpon the mount Hermon I am exalted like a palme tre in Cades as a rose plāte in Iericho As a fayre olyue tre in the felde am exalted like as a plantayne tre by the water syde I haue geuen a smell in the stretes as y e Cynamom and Balme that hath so good a sauoure yee a swete odoure haue I geuen as it were Myrre of the best I haue made my dwellinges to smell as it were of rosyn Galbanum of Clowes and Incense as Libanus whan it is not hewē downe mine odoure is as the pure Balme As the Terebynte haue I stretched out my braunches and my braunches are the braunches of honoure and louynge fauoure As y e vyne haue I brought forth frute of a swete sauoure and my floures are y e frute of hono and riches I am the mother of bewtye of loue of feare of knowlege of holy hope In me is all grace of life and trueth In me is all hope of life and vertue O come vnto me all ye that be desyrous of me and fyll youre selues with my frutes for my sprete is sweter then hony so is my inheritaunce more then the hony combe the remembraunce of me endureth for euermore They that eate me shal haue the more honger and they that drynke me shal thyrste the more Who so herkeneth vnto me shall not come to confucion and they that worke in me shal not offende They that make me to be knowne shal haue euerlastinge life All these thinges are the boke of life the couenaunt of the Hyest and the knowlege of the trueth Moses commaunded the lawe in the preceptes of righteousnes for an heretage vnto the house of Iacob and cōmitted y e promyses vnto Israel Out of Dauid his seruaūt HE ordened to raise vp a most mightie kinge syttinge in the seate of honoure for euermore This fylleth with wyszdome like as the floude of Phison as y e floude of Tigris whan the new frutes are a growinge This bringeth a plenteous vnderstandinge like Euprates fylleth it vp as Iordane in the time of haruest This maketh nurto r to breake forth as the light as the water Gihon in y e haruest The first hath not knowne her perfectly nomore shal the last seke out y e grounde of her For hir thought is fuller thē the see and hir councell is profounder then the greate depe I wyszdome haue cast out floudes I am as a greate waterbroke out of y e riuer I am as the ryuer Dorix and as a water condyte am I come out of the garden of pleasure I sayde I wyl water the garden of my yonge plantes and fyll the frute of my byrth So my waterbroke became exceadinge greate and my ryuer approched vnto the see For I make doctryne to be vnto all mē as light as the fayre mornynge and I shall make it to be euer the clearer I will pearse thorow all the lower partes of the earth I wyll loke vpon all soch as be a slepe and lighten all thē that put their trust in the LORDE I shal yet poure out doctrine like as prophecy and leaue it vnto soch as seke after wyszdome and their generacions shal I neuer fayle vnto the holy euerlastinge worlde Beholde how that I haue not laboured for my self onely but for all them y t seke after y e trueth The XXV Chapter THre thinges there are y t my sprete fauoureth which be also alowed before God and men The vnyts of brethren the loue of neghbours and man wyfe that agree well together Thre thinges there be which my soule hateth and I vtterly abhorre the life of them A poore man that is proude A rich mā that is a lyar and an olde body that doteth and is vnchaste Yf thou hast gathered nothinge in thy youth what wylt thou fynde thē in thine age O how pleasaūt a thinge is it whā gray headed men are discrete whan the elders can geue good councell O how cōly a thinge is wyszdome vnto aged men yee vnderstondinge and councell is a glorious thinge The crowne of olde men is to haue moch experience y e feare of God is their worshipe There be ix thinges which I haue iudged in my hert to be happie and the tenth wil I tell forth vnto men with my tonge A man y t whyle he lyueth hath ioye of his children and seith y e fall of his enemies Well is him that dwelleth with an houswife of vnderstōdinge and that hath not fallen with his tonge and y t hath not bene faine to serue soch as are vnmete for him Wel is him y t fyndeth a faithfull frende wel is him which talketh of wiszdome to an eare y t heareth him O how greate is he y t fyndeth wyszdome knowlege Yet is he not aboue him that feareth the LORDE The feare of God hath sett itself aboue all thinges Blessed is y e man vnto whō it is graunted to haue the feare of God Vnto whō shal he be lickened y t kepeth it fast The feare of God is the begynnynge of his loue and the begynnynge of faith is to cleue fast vnto it The heuynes of the hert is all the punyshment and the wickednes of a woman goeth aboue all All punyshment plage is nothinge in comparison of the plage of the hert euē so all wickednes is nothinge to the wickednes of a woman What so euer happeneth vnto a man is nothinge in comparison of it y t his euell willers do vnto him and all vengeaunce is nothinge to the vengeaūce of the enemye There is not a more wicked heade then the heade of the serpēt and there is no wrath aboue y e wrath of a woman I wyl rather dwell with a lyon and dragon then to kepe house with a wicked wyfe The wickednesse of a woman chaungeth hir face she shal moffell hir coūtenaunce as it were a Beer as a sack shall she shewe it amonge the neghbours Hir husbande is
¶ Because that whan thou goest to study in holy scripture thou shuldest do it with reuerence therfore for thy instruction louynge admonicion therto the Reuerende father in god Nicolas Bisshoppe of Salisbury hath prescrybed the this prayer folowynge taken out of the same O Lorde God almyghtye whiche longe agoo saydest by the mouthe of Iames thyn Apostle If any of you lacke wysdom let hym aske it of God whiche geueth it plenteously to all men and casteth no man in the tethe and it shal be geuen hym Heare my peticion for this thy promes sake Let my prayer ascende luckely in to thy syght lyke incense Let thy◠eare be attent vnto my depe desyre Geue me wysdome which is eue◠assistent about thy seate And put me not out from amonge 〈…〉 for I am thy seruaunt and y e sonne of thy handmayde ▪ 〈…〉 her I meane thy godly wysedome out of thyne holy heauens and from the trone of thy maiestye that she maye be with me and laboure with me y t I may knowe what is acceptable in thy syght Oh lerne me goodnes nurtoure and knowlege for I beleue thy commaundementes Thou art good and gracyous instructe me in thyne ordynaunces Let myne hertie besechynge ascende in to thy presence Geue me vnderstondynge accordynge to thy worde Oh geue me vnderstōdynge and I shall kepe thy lawe Yee I shall kepe it with all myne herte Shewe me thy wayes o Lorde teache me thy patthes Leade me in to thy trueth and lerne me for thou art the God of my helth And on the do I depende alway Heare now my voyce O Lorde with which I haue cryed vnto the. Haue mercy vpon me and gracyouslye heare me for Iesus Christes sake oure Lorde which lyueth and reygneth with the his father the holy goost worlde without ende Amen ¶ After the ende of any Chapter yf thou wylt thou mayest saye these verses folowynge LEade me o Lorde in thy waye and let me walke in thy trueth Oh let myne herte delyte in fearynge thy name Ordre my goynges after thy worde that no wyckednes reygne in me Kepe my steppes within thy patthes lest my fete turne in to any contrary waye Vnto the most victorious Prynce and oure most gracyous soueraigne Lorde kynge Henry the kynge of Englonde and of Fraunce lorde of Irlonde c. Defendour of the Fayth and vnder God the chefe and suppreme heade of the Church of Englonde ¶ The ryght iust administracyon of the lawes that God gaue vnto Moses and vnto Iosua the testimonye of faythfulnes that God gaue of Dauid the plenteous abundaunce of wysdome that God gaue vnto Salomon the lucky and prosperous age with the multiplicacyon of sede whiche God gaue vnto Abraham and Sara his wyfe be geuē vnto you most gracyous Prynce with your dearest iust wyfe and most vertuous Pryncesse Quene Anne Amen CAiphas beynge bysshope of that yeare lyke a blynde prophete not vnderstandyng what he sayd prophecied that it was better to put Christ vnto death then that all the people shulde perysshe he meanyng that Christ was an heretike a deceauer of the people a destroyer of the lawe and that it was better therfore to put Christ vnto death thā to suffre hym for to lyue and to deceaue the people c. where in very dede Christ was the true prophete the true Messias and the onely true Sauiour of the worlde sent of his heauenly father to suffre the moste cruell most shamefull and most necessary death for our redempcyon accordyng to y e meanynge of the prophecie truely vnderstonde Euen after the same maner y e blynde bysshoppe of Rome that blynde Baalam I saye not vnderstondynge what he dyd gaue vnto your grace this tytle Defendour of the fayth onely bycause your hyghnes suffred your bysshoppes to burne Gods worde the rote of fayth and to persecute the louers and mynisters of y e same where in very dede the blynde bysshoppe though he knewe not what he dyd prophecied that by the ryghteous admynistracyon and contynuall diligence of youre grace the fayth shulde so be defended that Gods worde the mother of Fayth with the frutes therof shulde haue his fre course thorowe out all Christendome but specyally in your realme Yf your hyghnesse now of your pryncely benignite wyll pardon me to compare these two bysshoppes I meane bysshoppe Caiphas and the bysshoppe of Rome theyr prophecies together I doute not but we shal fynde them agree lyke brethren though the one be a Iewe and the other a counterfayre Christian. Fyrst Caiphas prophecied that it was better to put Christ vnto death then that the people shulde perysshe The bysshoppe of Rome also not knowynge what he prophecied gaue youre grace this tytle Defendour of the fayth The trueth of both these prophecies is of the holy goost as was Baalams prophecie though they that spake thē knewe not what they sayd The trueth of Caiphas prophecie is that it was necessary for mans saluacyon that Christ by his death shulde ouercome death and redeme vs. And the trueth of oure Baalams prophecie is y t your grace in very dede shulde defende the Fayth Yee euen the true fayth of Christ no dreames no fables no heresie no papisticall inuencions but the vncorrupte fayth of Gods most holy worde which to set forth praysed be the goodnes of God and increace youre gracyous purpose your hyghnes with youre most honorable councell applyeth all his studye and endeuoure These two blynde bysshopes now agree in y e vnderstādyng of theyr prophecies for Caiphas taketh Christ for an heretike Oure Balaā taketh the worde of Christ for heresie Caiphas iudgeth it to be a good dede to put Christ vnto death that he shulde not deceaue the people Oure Balaam calleth defendynge of the fayth the suppressyng kepyng secrete and burnyng of the worde of fayth lest the lyght thereof shulde vtter his darknes lest his owne Decretales Decrees his owne lawes and constitucions his owne statutes and inuencions shulde come to none effecte lest his intollerable exactions and vsurpacions shulde lose theyr strengthe lest it shulde be knowen what a thefe and murtherer he is in the cause of Christ and how haynous a traytoure to God and man in defraudynge all Christen kynges prynces of theyr due obedience lest we youre graces subiectes shulde haue eyes in the worde of God at the last to spye out his crafty conueyaūce and iuglynges and lest men shulde se how sore he and his false Apostles haue deceaued all Christendome specyally youre noble realme of Englonde Thus your grace seyth how brotherly the Iewysh bysshoppe and oure Balaam agree together not onely in myter and outwarde appearaunce but as the one persecuted the Lorde Iesus in his owne persone so doth the other persecute his worde and resysteth his holy ordynaunce in the auctorite of his anoynted kynges For so moche nowe as the worde of God is the onely trueth that dryueth awaye all
knoweth the thoughtes of men that they are but vayne Blessed is the maÌ„ whom thou lernest o LORDE and teachest him in thy lawe That thou mayest geue him pacience in tyme of aduersite vntill the pytte be dygged vp for the vngodly For the LORDE wil not fayle his people nether wil he forsake his inheritaunce And why iudgment shal be turned agayne vnto rightuousnesse and all soch as be true of hert shal folowe it Who ryseth vp with me agaynst the wicked who taketh my parte agaynst the euell doers Yf the LORDE had not helped me my soule had allmost bene put to sylence When I sayde my fote hath slipped thy mercy o LORDE helde me vp In y e multitude of the sorowes that I had in my herte thy comfortes haue refreshed my soule Wilt thou haue eny thinge to do with the stole of wickednesse which ymagineth myschefe in the lawe They gather them together agaynst the soule of the rightuous condemne the innocent bloude But the LORDE is my refuge my God is the streÌ„gth of my confideÌ„ce He shal recompence theÌ„ their wickednesse and destroye them in their owne malice yee the LORDE oure God shal destroye them The XCIIII psalme O Come let vs prayse the LORDE let vs hertely reioyse in the strength of oure saluacion Let vs come before his presence with thaÌ„kesgeuynge shewe oure self glad in him w t psalmes For the LORDE is a greate God and a greate kynge aboue all goddes In his honde are all y e corners of the earth and the strength of the hilles is his also The see is his for he made it and his hondes prepared the drie loÌ„de O come let vs worshipe and bowe downe oure selues Let vs knele before the LORDE oure maker For he is oure God as for vs we are the people of his pasture and the shepe of his hoÌ„des To daye yf ye wil heare his voyce hardeÌ„ not youre hertes as wheÌ„ ye prouoked in tyme of temptacion in the wildernes Where yo r fathers teÌ„pted me proued me and sawe my workes XL. yeares longe was I greued with that generacion sayde they euer erre in their hertes they verely haue not knowne my wayes Therfore I sware vnto theÌ„ in my wrath that they shulde not enter in to my rest The XCV psalme O Synge vnto the LORDE a new songe synge vnto the LORDE all the whole earth Synge vnto y e LORDE prayse his name be tellynge of his saluacion from daye to daye Declare his honoure amonge the HeitheÌ„ and his wonders amonge all people For y e LORDE is greate and can not worthely be praysed he is more to be feared then all goddes As for all y e goddes of the HeitheÌ„ they be but Idols but it is the LORDE that made the heaueÌ„s Thankesgeuynge and worshipe are before him power and honoure are in his Sanctuary Ascrybe vnto the LORDE o ye kinredes of the Heithen ascrybe vnto the LORDE worshipe and strength Ascrybe vnto the LORDE the honoure of his name brynge presentes and come in to his courte O worshipe the LORDE in the beutye of holynesse let the whole earth stonde in awe of him Tell it out amonge the HeitheÌ„ that the LORDE is kynge and that it is he which hath made the rounde worlde so fast that it can not be moued and how that he shal iudge the people rightuously Let the heaueÌ„s reioyse and let the earth be glad let the see make a noyse yee all that therin is Let the felde be ioyfull and all that is in it let all the trees of the wodd leape for ioye Before the LORDE for he commeth for he coÌ„meth to iudge the earth yee with rightuousnesse shal he iudge the worlde and y e people with his trueth The XCVI psalme THe LORDE is kynge the earth maye be glad therof yee the multitude of the Iles maie be glad therof Cloudes and darcknesse are rounde aboute him rightuousnesse and iudgment are the habitacion of his seate There goeth a fyre before him to burne vp his enemies on euery syde His lightenynges geue shyne vnto the worlde the earth seyth it is afraied The hilles melt like wax at the presence of y e LORDE at the presence of the LORDE of the whole earth The very heauens declare his rightuousnes all people se his glory CoÌ„founded be all they that worshipe ymages and delite in their Idols worshipe him all ye goddes Sion heareh of it and reioyseth yee all y e doughters of Iuda are glad because of thy iudgmentes o LORDE For thou LORDE art the most hyest ouer all the earth thou art exalted farre aboue all goddes O ye that loue the LORDE se that ye hate the thinge which is euell the LORDE preserueth the soules of his sayntes he shal delyuer theÌ„ from the honde of the vngodly There is spronge vp a light for the rightuous and a ioyfull gladnesse for soch as be true herted Reioyse therfore in the LORDE ye rightuous and geue thankes for a remembraunce of his holynesse The XCVII psalme O Synge vnto the LORDE a new songe for he hath â—one maruelous thinges With his owne right honde and with his holy arme hath he gotten the victory The LORDE hath declared his sauynge health and his rightuousnes hath he openly shewed in the sight of the HeitheÌ„ He hath remembred his mercy and trueth towarde the house of Israel so that all the endes of the worlde se the sauynge health of oure God Shewe youre self ioyfull vnto the LORDE all ye londes synge reioyse and geue thankes Prayse the LORDE vpon the harpe synge to the harpe with a psalme of thankesgeuynge With trompettes also shawmes O shewe youre selues ioyfull before the LORDE the kynge Let the see make a noyse and all y t therin is yee the whole worlde all that dwell therin Let the floudes clappe their hondes and let all the hilles be ioyfull together Before the LORDE for he is come to iudge the earth Yee with rightuousnes shall he iudge the worlde and the people with equite The XCVIII psalme THe LORDE is kynge be the people neuer so vnpacient he sytteth vpon the Cherubins be the earth neuer so vnquiete The LORDE is greate in Sion hye aboue all people O let men geue thaÌ„kes vnto thy greate wonderful name for it is holy The kynges power loueth iudgment thou preparest equite thou executest iudgmeÌ„t rightuousnes in Iâ—cob O magnifie the LORDE o r God fâ—ll downe before his fote stole for he his holy Moses Aaron amonge his prestes Samuel amonge soch as call vpoÌ„ his name these called vpon the LORDE he herde theÌ„ He spake vnto theÌ„ out of the cloudy piler for they kepte his testimonies the lawe that he gaue them Thou herdest theÌ„ o LORDE o r God thou forgauest theÌ„ o God punyshedst their owne invencions O magnifie the LORDE oure God and worshipe
The CV psalme Halleluya O Geue thankes vnto the LORDE for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for euer Who can expresse y e noble actes of the LORDE or shewe forth all his prayse Blessed are they that allwaye kepe iudgment and do rightuousnes Remembre vs o LORDE acordinge to the fauoure that thou bearest vnto thy people o vyset vs w t thy sauinge health That we might se the pleasure of thy chosen that we might reioyse in the gladnesse of thy people and geue thankes with thine enheritaunce We haue synned with oure fathers we haue done amysse we haue dealt wickedly Oure fathers regarded not thy wonders in Egipte they kepte not thy greate goodnesse in remeÌ„braunce but were dishobedieÌ„t at the see eueÌ„ at the reed see Neuertheles he helped theÌ„ for his names sake that he might make his power to be knowne He rebuked the reed see and it was dried vp so he led theÌ„ thorow the depe as in a wildernesse Thus he saued them from the honde of the hater delyuered them from the honde of the enemie As for those y t troubled them the waters ouerwhelmed theÌ„ there was not one of theÌ„ left Then beleued they in his worde and songe prayse vnto him But within a whyle they forgat his workes wolde not abyde his councell A lust came vpoÌ„ them in the wildernesse so that they tempted God in the deserte Yet he gaue them their desyre and sent theÌ„ ynough at their willes They angred Moses in the teÌ„tes and Aaron the saynte of the LORDE So the earth opened swalowed vp Dathan and couered the congregacioÌ„ of Abiram The fyre was kyndled in their company the flame brent vp the vngodly They made a calfe in Horeb and worshipped the molteÌ„ ymage Thus they turned his glory into the similitude of a calfe y t eateth haye They forgat God their Sauio r which had done so greate thinges in Egipte Wonderous workes in the londe of Ham and fearfull thinges in the reed see So he sayde he wolde haue destroyed them had not Moses his chosen stonde before him in y e gappe to turne awaie his wrothfull indignacion lest he shulde destroye theÌ„ Yee they thought scorne of y t pleasaunt londe and gaue no credence vnto his worde But murmured in their tentes and herkened not vnto the voyce of the LORDE Then lift he vp his honde agaynst them to ouerthrowe them in the wildernes To cast out their sede amonge the nacions and to scater them in the londes They ioyned themselues vnto Baal Peor and ate the offeringes of the deed Thus they prouoked him vnto anger with their owne inveÌ„cions and the plage was greate amonge them Then stode vp Phineas and excuted iustice so the plage ceased And that was counted vnto him for rightuousnesse amonge all posterites for euermore They angerd him also at the waters of strife so that Moses was punyshed for their sakes Because they prouoked his sprete and he tolde theÌ„ planely with his lippes Nether destroyed they the Heithen as the LORDE commaunded them But were mengled amonâ—ge the Heithen and lerned their workes In so moch that they worshipped their ymages which turned to their owne decaye Yee they offred their sonnes their doughters vnto deuels And shed the innocent bloude of their sonnes and of their doughters whom they offred vnto the ymages of Canaan so that the londe was defyled wiâ—â— bloude Thus were they stayned w t theâ—â— owne workes and wente a whoringe with their owne invencions Therfore was the wrath of the LORDE kyndled agaynst his people in so moch that he abhorred his owne enheritaunce And gaue them ouer in to the honde of the HeitheÌ„ and they that hated them were lordes ouer them Their enemies oppressed theÌ„ and had them in subieccion Many a tyme dyd he delyuer them but they prouoked him with their owne inveÌ„cions and were brought downe for their wickednesse Neuerthelesse wheÌ„ he sawe their aduersite he herde their complaynte He thought vpoÌ„ his couenaunt and pitied theÌ„ â–ª acordinge vnto the multitude of his mercies Yee he made all those y t had led them awaye captiue to pitie them Delyuer vs o LORDE oure God gather vs from amoÌ„ge the Heithen that we maye geue thankes to thy holy name make oure boast of thy prayse Blessed be the LORDE God of Isâ— He sheweth his people the power of his workes that he maye geue them the heretage of the Heithen The workes of his hoÌ„des are verite iudgment all his coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes are true They stonde fast for euer euer are done in trueth equite He sent redempcion vnto his people he hath commaunded his couenaunt for euer holy reuerent is his name The feare of the LORDE is the begynnynge of wyszdome a good vnderstondinge haue all they that do therafter the prayse of it endureth for euer The CXI psalme Halleluya BLessed is the man y t feareth the LORDE hath greate delite in his commaundementes His sede shall be mightie vpon earth the generacion of the faithfull shal be blessed Riches pleÌ„teousnesse shal be in his house his rightuousnes endureth for euer Vnto the godly there ariseth vp light in the darcknesse he is merciful louynge rightuous Wel is him that is mercifull lendeth gladly poÌ„dreth his wordes w t discrecion For he shal neuer be moued the rightuous shal be had in an euer lastinge remembraunce He wil not be afrayed for eny euell tydinges his herte stondeth fast beleueth in y e LORDE His herte is stablished he wil not shrencke vntill he se his desyre vpon his enemies He hath sparsed abrode geueÌ„ to the poore his rightuousnes remayneth for euer his horne shal be exalted w t honor. The vngodly shal se it it shal greue him he shall gnash w t his â—â—th consume awaye the desyre of the vn godly shal perish The CXII psal Halleluya PRayse the LORDE O ye seruauntes O prayse the name of the LORDE Blessed be the name of the LORDE froÌ„ this tyme forth for euermore The LORDES name is worthy to be praysed froÌ„ the rysinge vp of the Sonne vnto the goinge downe of the same The LORDE is hye aboue all Heithen and his glory aboue the heaueÌ„s Who is like vnto the LORDE oure God y t hath his dwellinge so hye which humbleth himself to beholde that is in heauen and earth Which taketh vp the symple out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the myre That he maye set him amonge the prynces euen amonge the prynces of his people Which maketh the baren woman to kepe house and to be a ioyfull mother of children Halleluya The CXIII psalme WHen Israel came out of Egipte the house of Iacob from amonge that straunge people Iuda was his SaÌ„ctuary Israel his dominion The see sawe that and fled Iordan turned backe The mountaynes stripped like rammes the
might be dāned which beleued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes But we are bounde to geue thankes allwaye vnto God for you brethren be loued of the LORDE because that God hath from the begynnynge chosen you to saluacion in the sanctifienge of the sprete and in beleuynge of the trueth whervnto he hath called you by oure Gospell to optayne the glory of oure LORDE Iesus Christ. Therfore brethren stonde fast and kepe the ordinaunces which ye haue lerned whether it were by oure preachinge or by epistle But oure LORDE Iesus Christ himselfe and God oure father which hath loued vs and geuen vs euerlastinge consolacion and a good hope thorow grace comforte youre hertes and stablysh you in all doctryne good doynge The III. Chapter FVrthermore brethren praye for vs that the worde of God maye haue fre passage and be glorified as it is with you and that we maye be delyuered from vnreasonable and euell mē For faith is not euery mās But the LORDE is faithfull which shal stablyshe you and kepe you from euell We haue confidence in the LORDE to you warde that ye both do and wyll do that which we cōmaunde you The LORDE gyde youre hertes vnto the loue of God and pacience of Christ. But we requyre you brethren in the name of oure LORDE Iesus Christ that ye withdrawe youre selues from euery brother that walketh inordinatly and not after the institucion which he receaued of vs. For ye yo r selues knowe how ye oughte to folowe vs for we behaued not oure selues inordinatly amonge you nether toke we bred of eny man for naughte but wrought w t laboure and trauayle night and daye lest we shulde be chargeable to eny of you Not but that we had auctorite but to geue oure selues for an ensample vnto you to folowe vs. And whan we were w t you this we warned you of that yf there were eny which wolde not worke y e same shulde not eate For we heare saye that there are some which walke amonge you inordinatly and worke not at all but are busy bodies But them that are soche we commaunde and exhorte by oure LORDE Iesus Christ that they worke with quyetnes and eate their awne bred Neuertheles brethren be not ye weery of well doynge But yf eny man obey not oure sayenges sende vs worde of him by a letter and haue nothinge to do with him y t he maye be ashamed Yet counte him not as an enemye but warne him as a brother The very LORDE of peace geue you peace allwayes by all meanes The LORDE be with you all The salutacion of me Paul with myne awne hande This is the token in all epistles So I wryte The grace of oure LORDE Iesus Christ be with you all Amen Sent from Athens The first Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to Timothy The summe of this epistle Chap. I. He exhorteth Timothy to wayte vpō his office namely to se that nothīge be taughte but Gods worde c. He sheweth also wherfore the lawe is good and telleth these swete and glad tidinges that Christ Iesus came in to the worlde to saue synners example of himselfe Chap. II. He exhorteth to praye for all men He will not haue wemen to be ouer costly arayed ner to teach in the congregacion but to be in sylence and obeye their huszbandes Chap. III. What maner of man a byszhpppe or prest ought to be and what condicions his wife and children shulde haue The properties also requyred in a deacon or mynister and in his wife Chap. IIII. He prophecieth of the latter dayes and exhorteth Timothy to the diligēt readynge of the holy scripture Chap. V. He teacheth him how he shal behaue himselfe in rebukynge all degrees An ordre concernynge wyddowes Chap. VI. The dutye of seruauntes towarde their masters Agaynst soch as are not satisfied with the worde of God Agaynst cuvetousnes A good lesson for riche men The first Chapter PAul an Apostle of Iesus Christ acordinge to the commaundement of God oure Sauioure and of the LORDE Iesus Christ which is oure hope Vnto Timothy my naturall sonne in the faith Grace mercy and peace from God oure father and oure LORDE Iesus Christ. As I besoughte y e to abyde still at Ephesus whan I departed in to Macedonia euē so do that thou commaunde some that they teach none other wyse nether geue hede to fables and genealogies which are endlesse and brede doutes more then godly edifyenge which is by faith For y e chefe summe of the commaundement is loue of a pure hert and of a good cōscience and of faith vnfayned From the which some haue erred haue turned vnto vayne iangelynge wyllinge to be doctours of the scripture and vnderstonde not what they speake nether wherof they affirme But we knowe that the lawe is good yf a man vse it laufully vnderstōdinge this that the lawe is not geuen vnto the righteous but to the vnrighteous dishobedient to the vngodly to synners to the vnholy vncleane to murthurers of fathers and murthurers of mothers to manslayers to whoremongers to thē that defyle them selues with mankynde to menstealers to lyars to periured so forth yf there be eny other thinge y t is cōtrary to y e wholsome doctryne acordinge to y e Gospell of y e glory of the blessed God which Gospell is cōmytted vnto me And I thanke Christ Iesus o r LORDE which hath made me strōge for he counted me faithfull put me in office whā before I was a blasphemer a persecuter a tyraunt but I optayned mercy because I dyd it ignorauntly in vnbeleue Neuertheles the grace of o r LORDE was more abūdaunt thorow y e faith loue which is in Christ Iesu. For this is a true sayenge and by all meanes worthy to be receaued that Christ Iesus came in to y e worlde to saue synners of whom I am chefe Notwithstondynge for this cause optayned I mercy that Iesus Christ mighte pryncipally shewe in me all longe pacience to the ensample of them which shulde beleue in him vnto eternall life So then vnto God kynge euerlastinge immortall and invisible and wyse onely be honoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen This commaundement commytte I vnto the my sonne Timotheus acordinge to y e prophecies which in tyme past were prophecied of the that thou in them shuldest fighte a good fighte hauynge faith good conscience which some haue put awaye frō them and as concernynge faith haue made shypwrake of whose nombre is Hymeneos and Alexander whom I haue delyuered vnto Sathan that they might be taught nomore to blaspheme The II. Chapter I Exhorte therfore y t aboue all thinges prayers supplicacions intercessions and geuynge of thākes be had for all men for kynges and for all that are in auctorite that we maye lyue a quyete peaceable life in all godlynes and
in him and to herken vnto his voyce After the death of Moses doth Iosue brynge the people in to the loÌ„de of promes where God doth wonderous thynges for his people by Iosue which distributeth y e londe vnto them vnto euery trybe theyr possession But in theyr wealth they forgat the goodnes of God so that oft tymes he gaue theÌ„ ouer in to the hande of theyr enemies Neuertheles whan so euer they called faithfully vpon him and conuerted he delyuered them agayne as the boke of Iudges declareth In the bokes of the kynges is descrybed the regiment of good and euell prynces and how the decaye of all nacions commeth by euel kynges For in Ieroboam thou seyst what myschefe what ydolatrye soch like abhominacyon foloweth whaÌ„ the kynge is a maynteyner of false doctryne aÌ„d causeth the people to synne agaynst God which fallinge awaye from gods worde increased so sore amonge them that it was the cause of all theyr sorowe and misery the very occasion why Israel first and then Iuda were caryed awaye in to captyuite Agayne in Iosaphat in Ezechias and in Iosias thou seyst the nature of a vertuous kynge He putteth downe the houses of ydolatrye seyth that his prestes teach nothynge but y e lawe of God coÌ„maundeth his lordes to go with them and to se that they teach the people In these kynges I saye thou seyst the coÌ„dicyon of a true defender of y e fayth for he spareth nether cost ner laboure to manteyne the lawes of God to seke the welth prosperite of his people and to rote out the wicked And where soch a prince is thou seyst agayne how God defendeth him and his people though he haue neuer so many enemyes Thus wente it with theÌ„ in the olde tyme and euen after y e same maner goeth it now with vs God be praysed therfore aÌ„d graunte vs of his fatherly mercy that we be not vnthankfull lest where he now geueth vs a Iosaphat an Ezechias yee a very Iosias he sende vs a Pharao a Ieroboam or an Achab. In the two first bokes of Eâ—dras in Hester thou seyst the delyueraunce of the people which though they were but fewe yet is it vnto vs all a speciall coÌ„forte for so moch as God is not forgetfull of his promes but bryngeth them out of captiuite acordynge as he had tolde them before In the boke of Iob we lerne comforte and pacience in that God not onely punysheth the wicked but proueth tryeth the iust and righteous howbeit there is noman innocent in his sighte by dyuerse troubles in this lyfe declaryng therby y t they are not his bastardes but his deare sonnes and that he loueth them In the Psalmes we lerne how to resorte onely vnto God in all oure troubles to seke helpe at him to call onely vpon him to satle oure myndes by pacieÌ„ce how we ought in prosperite to be thankfull vnto him The Prouerbes and the Preacher of Salomon teach vs wysdome to knowe God oure owne selues and the worlde and how vayne all thynges are saue onely to cleue vnto God As for the doctryne of the Prophetes what is it els but an earnest exhortacion to eschue synne to turne vnto God a faythfull promes of the mercy aÌ„d pardon of God vnto all them y t turne vnto him and a threatenyng of his wrath to the vngodly sauynge that here and there they prophecye also manifestly of Christ of y e expulsion of the Iewes and callynge of the Heythen Thus moch thought I to speake of y e olde Testament wherin almyghtie God openeth vnto vs his myghtye power his wysdome his louynge mercy righteousnesse for the which cause it oughte of no man to be abhorred despysed or lyghtly regarded as though it were an olde scripture y t nothyng beloÌ„ged vnto vs or y t now were to be refused For it is Gods true scripture testimony which the Lorde Iesus commaundeth the Iewes to search who so euer beleueth not the scripture beleueth not Christ and who so refuseth it refuseth God also The New Testament or Gospell is a manyfest and cleare testymony of Christ how God perfourmeth his ooth and promes made in the olde Testament how the New is declared and included in the Olde and the Olde fulfylled and verifyed in the New Now where as the most famous interpreters of all geue sondrye iudgmentes of the texte so farre as it is done by y e sprete of knowlege in the holy goost me thynke noman shulde be offended there at for they referre theyr doinges in mekenes to the sprete of trueth in the congregacyon of god sure I am that there commeth more knowlege and vnderstondinge of the scripture by theyr sondrie translacyons then by all the gloses of oure sophisticall doctours For that one interpreteth somthynge obscurely in one place the same transâ—ateth another or els he him selfe more manifestly by a more playne vocable of the same meanyng in another place Be not thou offended therfore good Reader though one call a scrybe that another calleth a lawyer or elders that another calleth father mother or repentaunce that another calleth pennaunce or amendment For yf thou be not disceaued by mens tradicioÌ„s thou shalt fynde nomore dyuersite betwene these termes then betwene foure pens and a grote And this maner haue I vsed in my translacyon callyng it in some place pennaunce that in another place I call repentaunce and that not onely because the interpreters haue done so before me but that the aduersaries of the trueth maye se how that we abhorre not this worde peÌ„naunce as they vntruly reporte of vs no more then the interpreters of latyn abhorre penitere whan they reade resipiscere Onely oure hertes desyre vnto God is that his people be not blynded in theyr vnderstondyng lest they beleue pennaunce to be ought saue a very repeÌ„taunce ameÌ„dment or conuersyon vnto God and to be an vnfayned new creature in Christ and to lyue acordyng to his lawe For els shall they fal in to the olde blasphemy of Christes bloude and beleue that they theÌ„ selues are able to make satisfaccion vnto God for theyr awne synnes from the which erroure god of his mercy and pleÌ„teous goodnes preserue all his Now to conclude for so moch as all the scripture is wrytten for thy doctryne ensample it shal be necessary for the to take holde vpon it whyle it is offred the yee and with ten handes thankfully to receaue it And though it be not worthely ministred vnto the in this translacyon by reason of my rudnes Yet yf thou be ferueÌ„t in thy prayer God shal not onely sende it the in a better shappe by the mynistracyon of other that beganne it afore but shall also moue the hertes of them which as yet medled not withall to take it in hande and to bestowe the gifte of theyr vnderstondynge theron as well in oure language as other famous interpreters do in other languages And I praye God that
that they which hate me maye se it and be ashamed because thou LORDE hast helped me comforted me The LXXXVI A psalme of the children of Corah HIr foundacions are vpoÌ„ the holy hilles the LORDE loueth the gates of Sion more theÌ„ all y e dwelliÌ„ges of Iacob Very excelleÌ„t thiÌ„ges are spokeÌ„ of y e thou cite of God â–ª Sela. I wil thinke vpoÌ„ Rahab â—abiloÌ„ so that they shal knowe me Yee the Philistynes also they of Tyre with the Morians Lo there was he borne And of Sion it shal be reported that he was borne in her euen the most hyest which hath buylded her The LORDE shal cause it be preached written amonge the people that he was borne there Sela. Therfore the dwellinge of all syngers daunsers is in the. The LXXXVII A psalme of the children of Corah O LORDE God my Sauyo r I crie daye night before the Oh let my prayer entre in to thy presence encline thine eare vnto my callynge For my soule is full of trouble my life draweth nye vnto hell I am couÌ„ted as one of theÌ„ that go downe vnto the pytte I am eueÌ„ as a maÌ„ that hath no streÌ„gth Fre amoÌ„ge the deed like vnto theÌ„ y t lye in the graue which be out of remembrauÌ„ce and are cutt awaye from thy honde Thou hast layed me in the lowest pytte in y e darcknesse and in the depe Thy indignacion lieth hard vpon me and thou vexest me with all thy floudes Sela. Thou hast put awaye myne acquaÌ„taunce farre fro me made me to be abhorred of them I am so fast in preson that I can not get forth My sight fayleth for very trouble LORDE I call daylie vpoÌ„ the and stretch out my hondes vnto the. Doest thou shewe wonders amonge the deed Can the physiciaÌ„s rayse them vp agayne that they maye prayse the Maye thy louynge kyndnes be shewed in the graue or thy faithfulnesse in destruccion Maye thy wonderous workes be knowne in the darcke or thy righteousnes in the londe where all thinges are forgotteÌ„ Vnto the I crie o LORDE and early coÌ„meth my prayer before the. LORDE why puttest thou awaye my soule Wherfore hydest thou thy face fro me My strength is gone for very sorow and misery with fearfulnesse do I beare thy burthens Thy wrothfull displeasure goeth ouer me the feare of the oppresseth me They come rounde aboute me daylie like water and compase me together on euery syde My louers and freÌ„des hast thou put awaye fro me and turned awaye myne acquantaunce The LXXXVIII A psalme of Ethan the Esrahite MY songe shal be allwaye of the louynge kyndnesse of the LORDE w t my mouth wil I euer be shewinge thy faithfulnesse froÌ„ one generacion to another For I haue sayde mercy shal be set vp for euer thy faithfulnesse shalt thou stablish in the heauens I haue made a couenaunâ— with my chosen I haue sworne vnto Dauiâ— my seruaunt Thy sede wil I stablish for eâ—uer and set vp thy Trone from one generacion to another Sela. O LORDE the very heaueÌ„s shal prayse thâ— wonderous workes yee thy faithfulnes in y e congregacion of the sayntes For who is he amonge the cloudes that maye be coÌ„pared vnto the LORDE Yee what is he amonge the goddes that is like vnto the LORDE God is greatly to be feared in the councell of the sayntes to be had in reuerence of all theÌ„ that are aboute him O LORDE God of hoostes who is like vnto the in power thy trueth is rounde aboute the. Thou rulest the pryde of the see thou stillest the wawes therof wheÌ„ they arise Thou breakest the proude like one that is wounded â–ª thou scatrest thine enemies abrode with thy mightie arme The heaueÌ„s are thine the earth is thine thou hast layed the foundacioÌ„ of the rouÌ„de worlde and all that therin is Thou hast made the north and the south Tabor and Hermon shal reioyse in thy name Thou hast a mightie arme stronge is thy hande and hye is thy right hande Rightuousnes and equite is the habitacion of thy seate mercy and trueth go before thy face Blessed is the people o LORDE that can reioyse in the and walketh in the light of thy countenaunce Their delite is in thy name all the daye longe and thorow thy rightuousnesse they shal be exalted For thou art the glory of their strength thorow thy fauoure shalt thou lift vp oure hornes The LORDE is oure defence and the holy one of Israel is oure kynge Thou spakest somtyme in visioÌ„s vnto thy sayntes and saydest I haue layed helpe vpon one that is mightie I haue exalted one chosen out of the people I haue founde Dauid my seruauÌ„t with my holy oyle haue I anoynted him My honde shal holde him fast and my arme shal strength him The enemie shal not ouercome him and the sonne of wickednesse shal not hurte him I shal smyte downe his foes before his face and plage them that hate him My trueth also my mercy shal be with him and in my name shal his horne be exalted I wil set his honde in the see and his right honde in the floudes He shal call me thou art my father my God and the strength of my saluacion And I wil make him my firstborne â—yer then the kinges of the earth My mercy wil I kepe for him for euermore and my couenaunt shall stonde fast with him His sede wil I make to endure for euer yee and his Trone as the dayes of heauen But yf his childreÌ„ forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgmentes Yf they breake myne ordinaunces and kepe not my commaundementes I wil vyset their offences with the rodde and their synnes with scourges Neuerthelesse my louynge kyndnesse wil I not vtterly take from him ner suffre my trueth to fayle My couenaunt wil I not breake ner disanulle the thinge y t is gone out of my lippes I haue sworne once by my holynesse that I wil not fayle Dauid His sede shal endure for euer and his seate also like as the Sonne before me He shal stonde fast for euermore as the Moone and as the faithfull witnesse in heauen Sela. But now thou forsakest and abhorrest thyne anoynted and art displeased at him Thou hast turned backe the couenaunt of thy seruaunt and cast his crowne to the grounde Thou hast ouer throwne all his hedges and brokeÌ„ downe his stronge holdes Al they that go by spoyle him he is become a rebuke vnto his neghbours Thou settest vp the right haÌ„de of his enemies and makest all his aduersaryes to reioyse Thou hast taken awaye the strength of his swerde and geuest him not victory in the battayll Thou hast put out his glory and cast his Trone downe to the grounde The dayes of his youth hast thou shortened and couered him with dishonoure Sela. LORDE how longe wilt thou hyde thy self For euer shal thy wrath burne like fyre O remembre how shorte my tyme
on the sonne hath euerlastinge life he that beleueth not the sonne shal not se the life but y e wrath of God abydeth vpon him The IIII. Chapter NOw whan Iesus had knowlege y t it was come to the eares of the Pharises that Iesus made and baptised mo disciples thē Ihon howbeit Iesus himself baptysed not but his disciples he left the londe of Iewry and departed agayne in to Galile But he must nedes go thorow Samaria Then came he in to a cite of Samaria called Sichar nye vnto y e pece of lōde y t Iacob gaue vnto Ioseph his sonne And there was Iacobs well Now whan Iesus was weerye of his iourney he satt hī downe so vpō the well And it was aboute the sixte houre Then came there a woman of Samaria to drawe water Iesus sayde vnto her Geue me drynke For his disciples were gone their waye in to y e cite to bye meate So the woman of Samaria sayde vnto him How is it that thou axest drynke of me seynge thou art a Iewe and I a woman of Samaria For the Iewes medle not with the Samaritans Iesus answered and sayde vnto her Yf thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that sayeth vnto the geue me drynke thou woldest axe of him and he wolde geue the the water of life The woman sayde vnto him Syr thou hast nothinge to drawe withall and the well is depe from whence hast thou then that water of life Art thou greater then oure father Iacob which gaue vs this well And he himself dranke therof and his children and his catell Iesus answered and sayde vnto her Who so euer drynketh of this water shal thyrst agayne But whosoeuer shal drynke of the water that I shal geue him shal neuer be more a thyrst but the water that I shal geue him shal be in him a well of water which spryngeth vp in to euerlastinge life The woman sayde vnto him Syr geue me that same water that I thyrst not nether nede to come hither to drawe Iesus sayde vnto her Go call they huszbande and come hither The woman answered and sayde vnto him I haue no huszbande Iesus sayde vnto her Thou hast sayde well I haue no huszbande for thou hast had fyue huszbandes and he whom thou hast now is not thine huszbande there saydest thou right The womā sayde vnto him Syr I se that thou art a prophet Oure father 's worshipped vpon this mountayne and ye saye that at Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worshippe Iesus sayde vnto her Woman beleue me the tyme commeth that ye shal nether vpon this mountayne ner at Ierusalem worshippe the father Ye wote not what ye worshippe but we knowe what we worshippe for Saluacion commeth of the Iewes But the tyme commeth and is now allready that the true worshippers shal worshippe the father in sprete and in the trueth For the father wil haue soch so to worshippe him God is a sprete and they that worshippe him must worshippe in sprete and in the trueth The womā sayde vnto him I wote that Messias shal come which is called Christ. Whan he commeth he shal tell vs all thinges Iesus sayde vnto her I that speake vnto the am he And in the meane season came his disciples and they marueyled that he talked with the woman Yet sayde no man What axest thou or what talkest thou with her Then the woman let hir pot stonde and wente in to the cite and sayde vnto the people Come se a man which hath tolde me all that euer ▪ I dyd Is not he Christ Then wente they out of the cite and came vnto him In the meane whyle his disciples prayed him and sayde Master eate But he sayde vnto them I haue meate to eate that ye knowe not of Then sayde the disciples amōge them selues Hath eny man brought him meate Iesus sayde vnto thē My meate is this that I do the wyll of him that sent me and to fynish his worke Saye not ye youre selues There are yet foure monethes and then commeth the haruest Beholde I saye vnto you lift vp youre eyes and loke vpon the felde for it is whyte allready vnto the haruest And he that reapeth receaueth rewarde and gathereth frute to euerlastinge life that both he that soweth and he that reapeth maye reioyse together For herin is the prouerbe true One soweth another reapeth I haue sent you to reape that wheron ye bestowed no laboure Other haue laboured and ye are come in to their laboures Many Samaritans of the same cite beleued on him for the sayenge of the woman which testified He hath tolde me all that euer I dyd Now whan the Samaritans came to him they besought him that he wolde tary with them And he abode there two dayes and many mo beleued because of his worde and sayde vnto the woman We beleue now hence forth not because of thy sayenge we haue herde him oureselues and knowe that this of a trueth is Christ the Sauioure of the worlde After two dayes he departed thence and wente in to Galile For Iesus himself testified that a prophet is nothinge set by at home Now whā he came in to Galile the Galileās receaued him which had sene all that he dyd at Ierusalem in the feast for they also were come thither in the feast And Iesus came agayne vnto Cana in Galile where he turned the water vnto wyne And there was a certayne ruler whose sonne laye sicke at Capernaum This herde that Iesus came out of Iewry in to Galile and wente vnto him and besought him that he wolde come downe and helpe his sonne for he laye deed sicke And Iesus sayde vnto him Excepte ye se tokens and wonders ye beleue not The ruler sayde vnto him Come downe Syr or euer my childe dye Iesus sayde vnto him Go thy waye thy sonne lyueth The man beleued the worde that Iesus sayde vnto him and wente his waye And as he was goinge downe his seruauntes mett him and tolde him and sayde Thy childe lyueth Then enquyred he of them the houre wherin he beganne to amende And they sayde vnto him Yesterdaye aboute the seuēth houre the feuer left him Then the father perceaued that it was aboute the same houre wherin Iesus sayde vnto him Thy sonne lyueth And he beleued with his whole house This is now the seconde token that Iesus dyd whan he came from Iewry in to Galile The V. Chapter AFterwarde there was a feast of the Iewes and Iesus wente vp to Ierusalem There is at Ierusalem by the slaughter house a pole which in Hebrue is called Bethseda hath fyue porches wherin laye many sicke blynde lame wythred which wayted whan the water shulde moue For the angell wente downe at his tyme in to the pole and stered the water Who so euer now wente downe first after that the water was stered y e same was made whole what soeuer disease he had And
e flesh and though we haue knowne Christ also after the flesh yet knowe we him now so nomore Therfore yf eny man be in Christ he is a new creature Olde thinges are past awaye beholde all are become new Neuertheles all thinges are off God which hath reconcyled vs vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ and hath geuen vs the office to preach the attonement For God was in Christ and reconcyled the worlde vnto himselfe and counted not ther synnes vnto them and amonge vs hath he set vp the worde of y e attonemēt Now thē are we messaungers in the rowme of Christ euen as though God exhorted by vs. We beseke you now therfore in Christes steade that ye be at one with God for he hath made him which knewe no synne to be synne for vs y t we by his meanes shulde be that righteousnes which before God is alowed The VI. Chapter WE as helpers therfore exhorte you that ye receaue not y e grace of God in vayne For he sayeth I haue herde the in the tyme accepted and in the daye of saluacion haue I succoured the. Beholde now is the accepted tyme now is the daye of saluacion Let vs geue no man occasion of euell that oure office be not euell spoken of but in all thinges let vs behaue oure selues as the mynisters of God in moch pacience in troubles in necessities in anguysshes in strypes in presonmentes in vproures in laboures in watchinges in fastynges in purenesse in knowlege in longe sufferynge in kyndnesse in the holy goost in loue vnfayned in the worde of the trueth in the power of God by the armoure of righteousnes on the righte hande and on the lefte by honoure and dishonoure by euell reporte and good reporte as disceauers yet true as vnknowne and yet knowne as dyenge and beholde we lyue as chastened and not kylled as sorowynge and yet allwaye mery as poore yet make many riche as hauynge nothinge yet possessynge all thinges O ye Corinthians oure mouth is open vnto you oure hert is made large Ye are in no straytnesse on oure behalfe but where as ye are in straytnesse that do ye of youre owne hertely meanynge I speake to you as to childrē that haue like rewarde with vs. Set youre selues therfore at large Beare not a straunge yock with the vnbeleuers For what fellishippe hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes What company hath lighte w t darknesse How agreeth Christ with Belial ▪ Or what parte hath the beleuer with the infydele How acordeth y e tēple of God with ymages Ye are the temple of the lyuynge God as sayeth God I wyl dwell in them and walke in them and wyl be their God they shal be my people Wherfore come out from amōge them and separate youre selues sayeth the LORDE and touche no vncleane thinge so wyl I receaue you be youre father ye shal be my sonnes and doughters sayeth y e Allmightie LORDE The VII Chapter SEynge now that we haue soch promyses dearly beloued let vs clense oure selues from all fylthynes of the flesh and sprete and growe vp to full holynes in y e feare of God Vnderstōde vs right We haue hurte no mā we haue corrupte no man we haue defrauded no man I speake not this to cōdemne you for I haue shewed you before that ye are in oure hertes to dye and to lyue w t you I am very bolde towarde you I make moch boost of you I am fylled with comforte I am exceadynge ioyous in all oure tribulacion For whan we were come into Macedonia oure flesh had no rest but we were troubled on euery syde outwarde was fightinge inwarde was feare Neuertheles God that comforteth the abiecte comforted vs by the cōmynge of Titus Not onely by his commynge but also by the cōsolacion wherwith he was cōforted of you whan he tolde vs yo r desyre youre wepynge yo feruēt mynde for me so y t I now reioyse y e more For where as I made you sory by the letter it repenteth me not though I dyd repēte For I se that the same epistle made you sory though it were but for a ceason But now I reioyce not that ye were sory but that ye were sory to repentaunce For ye sorowed godly so that in nothinge ye were hurte by vs. For godly sorowe causeth repentaunce vnto saluacion not to be repented of but worldly sorowe causeth death Beholde where as ye haue had godly sorowe what diligence hath it wrought in you Yee a sufficiet answere displeasure feare desyre a feruēt mynde punyshment For in all poyntes ye haue shewed youre selues that ye are cleare in that matter Wherfore though I wrote vnto you yet is it not done for his cause that dyd hurte nether for his cause that was hurte but that youre diligence which ye haue for vs in the sighte of God mighte be manifest w t you Therfore are we comforted because ye are comforted but exceadingly the more ioyed we for the ioye of Titus because his sprete was refreszhed of you all I am therfore not now ashamed though I boasted my selfe vnto him of you but like as all is true that I haue spokē vnto you euen so is oure boastinge vnto Titus founde true also And his inwarde affeccion is more abundaunt towarde you whan he remembreth the obedience of you all how ye receaued him with feare and trēblynge I reioyse that I maye be bolde ouer you in all thinges The VIII Chapter I Do you to wit brethren the grace of God which is geuē in the congregacions of Macedonia For their reioysinge was most abundaunt whan they were tryed by moch trouble though they were exceadinge poore yet haue they geuē exceadinge richely and that in synglenesse For to their power I beare recorde yee and beyonde their power they were wyllinge of their awne acorde and prayed vs with greate instaūce that we wolde receaue their benefite and fellishippe of the hādreachinge that is done for the sayntes And not as we loked for but gaue ouer them selues first to the LODRE and afterwarde vnto vs by y e wyl of God so that we coulde not but desyre Titus that like as he had begonne afore he wolde euen so accomplish the same beniuolence amonge you Now as ye are riche in all poyntes in faith and in worde and in knowlege and in all diligence and in youre loue towarde vs euen so se that ye be plenteous also in this benyuolēce This I saye not as commaūdynge but seynge other are so diligent I proue youre loue also whether it be perfecte or no. For ye knowe the liberalite of oure LORDE Iesus Christ which though he be riche yet for youre sakes he became poore y t ye thorow his pouerte mighte be made riche And my councell herin I geue for this is profitable for you which haue begonne a yeare a goo not onely to do but also to wyll
was cōmytted vnto me as y e Gospell ouer y e circūcision was commytted vnto Peter For he y t was mightie with Peter to the Apostleshippe ouer the circumcision the same was mightie with me also amōge the Heythen they perceaued the grace that was geuen vnto me Iames and Cephas and Ihon which semed to be pilers gaue me and Barnabas y e righte handes and agreed with vs that we shulde preach amonge the Heythē and they amonge the Iewes onely that we shulde remēbre the poore which thinge also I was diligent to do But whā Peter was come to Antioche I withstode him in y e face for he was worthy to be blamed For afore there came certayne from Iames he ate with the Heythē But whā they were come he withdrue and separated himselfe fearinge thē which were of the circumcision And the other Iewes dyssembled with him likewyse in so moch y t Barnabas was brought in to their symulacion also But whan I sawe that they walked not right after y e trueth of the Gospell I sayde vnto Peter openly before all Yf thou beynge a Iewe lyuest after the maner of the Gentyles and not as do the Iewes why causest thou the Gentyles then to lyue as do the Iewes Though we be Iewes by nature and not synners of the Gentyles yet in so moch as we knowe that a man is not made righteous by the dedes off the lawe but by the faith on Iesus Christ we haue beleued also on Iesus Christ y t we might be made righteous by the faith of Christ and not by the dedes of the lawe because that by the dedes of the lawe no flesh shal be iustified Yf we then which seke to be made righteous by christ shulde be yet founde synners o r selues is not Christ then the mynister of synne God forbyd For yf I buylde agayne y t which I haue destroyed then make I my selfe a trespacer But I thorow the lawe am deed vnto the lawe that I might lyue vnto God I am crucified with Christ yet do I lyue neuerthelesse now not I but Christ lyueth in me For y e life which I now lyue in y e fleszhe I lyue in the faith of y e sonne of God which loued me and gaue himselfe for me I cast not awaye the grace of God For yf righteousnes come by the lawe then dyed Christ in vayne The III. Chapter O Ye folishe Galathiās who hath bewitched you that ye shulde not beleue the trueth To whō Iesus Christ was descrybed before the eyes and amonge you crucified This onely wolde I lerne of you Receaued ye the sprete by the dedes of the lawe or by the preachinge of the faith Are ye so vnwyse Ye beganne in the sprete wolde ye ende now thē in the flesh Haue ye suffred so moch in vayne Yf it be els in vayne He that geueth you the sprete and doth soch greate actes amōge you doth he it thorow the dedes of the lawe or by y e preachinge of the faith Euen as Abrahā beleued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnes Thus ye knowe that they which are of faith are Abrahams children The scripture sawe afore hāde that God iustifieth the Heythen thorow faith Therfore shewed it glad tydinges afore vnto Abraham and sayde In the shal all the Heythen be blessed So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham For as many as go aboute with the workes of the lawe are vnder y e curse For it is wryttē Cursed be euery man which cōtynueth not in all thinges that are wryttē in the boke of the lawe to do them That no man is iustified by the lawe in the sighte of God it is euydēt For y t iust shal lyue by his faith The lawe is not of faith but the mā that doth y e same shal lyue therin But Christ hath delyuered vs from y e curse of the lawe whan he became a curse for vs. For it is wryttē Cursed is euery man that hangeth on tre y t the blessynge of Abraham mighte come on the Gentyles in Christ Iesu and y t we might so receaue y e promysed sprete thorow faith Brethren I wil speake after the maner of men Though it be but a mās Testamēt yet no man despyseth it or addeth eny thinge therto whan it is confirmed To Abraham and his sede were the promyses made He sayeth not In the sedes as in many but in thy sede as in one which is Christ. This Testament I saye which afore was confirmed to Christ warde is not disanulled that the promes shulde be made of none affecte by the lawe which was geuen beyonde foure hundreth thirtie yeares therafter For yf the enheritaunce be gotten by the lawe then is it not geuen by promes But God gaue it frely vnto Abraham by promes Wherfore thē serueth the lawe It was added because of trangression tyll the sede came to the which the promes was made And it was geuen of angels by the hande of the mediatoure A mediatour is not a mediatour of one onely but God is one Is the lawe then agaynst the promyses of God God forbyd Howbeit yf there had bene geuen a lawe which coulde haue geuē life thē no doute righteousnes shulde come of the lawe But y e scripture hath shut vp all vnder synne that y e promes shulde come by the faith on Iesus Christ geuē vnto thē that beleue Before faith came we were kepte and shut vp vnder the lawe vnto the faith which shulde afterwarde be declared Thus y e lawe was o r scolemaster vnto Christ that we might be made righteous by faith But now that faith is come we are nomore vnder the scolemaster For ye all are the children of God by the faith in Christ Iesu. For as many of you as are baptysed haue put on Christ. Here is nether Iewe ner Greke here is nether bōde ner fre here is nether man ner woman for ye are all one in Christ Iesu. Yf ye be Christes thē are ye Abrahās sede and heyres acordynge to the promes The IIII. Chapter BVt I saye As longe as the heyre is a childe there is no difference betwene him and a seruaunt though he be lorde of all y e goodes but he is vnder tuters and gouerners vntyll the tyme appoynted of the father Euen so we also whā we were children were in bondage vnder the outwarde tradicions But whan the tyme was fulfylled God sent his sonne borne of a womā and put vnder the lawe to redeme them which were vnder the lawe that we mighte receaue y e childshippe For so moch thē as ye are children God hath sent the sprete of his sonne in to oure hertes which cryeth Abba deare father Wherfore now thou art not a seruaunt but a sonne Yf thou be a sonne then art thou the heyre of God thorow Christ. Notwithstondinge
forbyd that I shulde reioyse saue onely in the crosse of oure LORDE Iesus Christ wherby the worlde is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde For in Christ Iesu nether circūcision avayleth eny thinge ner vncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walke acordynge to this rule peace and mercy be vpon thē and vpon Israel of God From hence forth let no man put me to busynesse for I beare in my body the markes of the LORDE Iesu. Brethren the grace of oure LORDE Iesu Christ be with youre sprete Amen Vnto the Galathians sent from Rome The Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to the Ephesians The summe of this Epistle Chap. I. The euerlastinge ordinaunce and eleccion of God in sauynge all men thorow Christ Iesus his sonne We are ordened vnto good workes The dominion of Christ. Chap. II. Paul sheweth them what maner of people they were before their conuersion and what they are now in Christ. Chap. III. He sheweth the cause of his presonment desyreth them not to faynte because of his trouble and prayeth God to make thē stedfast in his sprete Chap. IIII. He exhorteth them vnto mekenes longe sufferinge vnto loue and peace euery one to serue and edifie another with the gifte that God hath geuē him to bewarre of straunge doctrine to laye asyde the olde conuersacion of gredy lustes and to walke in a new life Chap. V. He exhorteth them vnto loue warneth them to bewarre of vnclennes cuvetounesse foolish talkynge and false doctryne to be circumspecte to avoyde dronkennesse to reioyse and to be thankfull towarde God to submytt thēselues one to another He teacheth how wemen shulde obeye their huszbōdes and how louyngly men ought to intreate their wyues Chap. VI. How children shulde behaue themselues towarde their fathers and mothers Likewyse fathers towarde their children Seruauntes towarde their masters Agayne masters towarde their seruaūtes An exhortacion to the spirituall battayll and what weapens christen men shulde fight withall The Epistle of the Apostle S. Paul to the Ephesians The first Chapter PAul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God To y e sayntes which are Ephesus to thē that beleue on Iesus Christ. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father frō the LORDE Iesus Christ. Blessed be God the father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs w t all maner of spirituall blessynge in heauenly thynges by Christ acordinge as he had chosen vs by him or euer the foundacion of the worlde was layed that we shulde be holy and without blame before him in loue ordeyned vs before to receaue vs as children thorow Iesus Christ acordinge to the pleasure of his will vnto the prayse of the glory of his grace wherby he hath made vs accepted in the Beloued in whom we haue redempcion thorow his bloude namely the forgeuenes of synnes acordynge to y e riches of his grace which he hath shed vpon vs abundauntly in all wyszdome and prudēce and hath opened vnto vs the mystery of his wil acordinge to his pleasure which he had purposed in himselfe y t it shulde be preached whā the tyme was fullcome that all thinges shulde be gathered together by Christ both the thinges which are in heauen and also the thinges that are vpon earth euen by him by whom also we are come to the inheritaunce we that were therto predestinate before acordinge to y e purpose of him which worketh all thinges after y e councell of his owne wyll that we mighte be to the prayse of his glory euen we that before beleued on Christ on whō also ye beleued after that ye herde the worde of trueth namely y e Gospell of youre saluacion wherin whan ye beleued ye were sealed with the holy sprete of promes which is the ernest of oure inheritaunce to oure redempcion that we mighte be his owne to the prayse off his glory Wherfore I also in so moch as I haue herde of the faith which ye haue in y e LORDE Iesu and of youre loue vnto all y e sayntes ceasse not to geue thankes for you and make mencion of you in my prayers that y e God of oure LORDE Iesus Christ the father of glory maye geue vnto you the sprete of wyszdome and open vnto you the knowlege of himselfe and lighten the eyes of youre vnderstondinge that ye maye knowe what is the hope of youre callynge and what the riches of his glorious enheritaunce is vpon the sayntes what is the exceadinge greatnesse of his power towarde vs which beleue acordinge to y e workynge of his mightie power which he wroughte in Christ whan he raysed him vp frō the deed and set him on his righte hāde ī heauēly thinges aboue all rule power and mighte and dominaciō and aboue all that maye be named not onely in this worlde but also in y e worlde to come And hath put all thinges vnder his fete and hath made him aboue all thinges the heade of the cōgregacion which is his body and the fulnesse of him that fylleth all in all The II. Chapter ANd quyckened you also whan ye were deed thorow trespaces and synnes in the which in tyme past ye walked acordinge to the course off this worlde and after the prynce that ruleth in the ayre namely after y e sprete which now worketh in the children of vnbeleue amonge whom we also had oure conuersacion in tyme past in the lustes of oure flesh and dyd the wyll of the flesh and of the mynde and were naturally the children of wrath euen as well as other But God which is riche in mercy thorow his greate loue wherwith he loued vs euē whā we were deed in synnes hath quyckened vs in Christ for by grace are ye saued and hath raysed vs vp with him and set vs with him in heauēly thinges thorow Christ Iesus y t in tymes to come he mighte shewe the exceadinge riches of his grace in kyndnesse to vs warde in Christ Iesu. For by grace are ye saued thorow faith and that not of youre selues For it is y e gifte of God not of workes lest eny mā shulde boast him selfe For we are his workmanshippe created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes to y t which God ordeyned vs before that we shulde walke in them Wherfore remēbre that ye which afore tyme were Gentyles after the flesh and were called vncircumcision of thē that are called circumcision after the flesh which circumcision is made with the hande that ye at the same tyme were without Christ and reputed aleauntes from the comen welth of Israel and were straungers from the Testamentes of promes therfore had ye no hope and were without God in this worlde But now ye that be in Christ Iesu and afore tyme were farre of are now made nye by the bloude of Christ. For he is o peace which of both hath made one and hath broken downe the
wall that was a stoppe betwene vs and hath also thorow his flesh put awaye the cause off hatred namely the lawe of the commaundemeÌ„tes contayned in the lawe wrytten that of twayne he mighte create one new man in him selfe and make peace and to reconcyle both vnto God in one body thorow the crosse and so he slewe y e hatred thorow his owne selfe and came and preached peace in the Gospell vnto you which were afarre of and to theÌ„ that were nye For thorow him we both haue intraunce in â—ne sprete vnto the father Now therfore ye are nomore gestes and straungers but citesins with the sayntes of the housholde of God buylded vpon y e foundacion of y e Apostles and prophetes where Iesus Christ is y e heade corner stone in whom euery buyldinge coupled together groweth to an holy temple in the LORDE in whom ye also are buylded together to be an habitacion of God in the sprete The III. Chapter FOr this cause I Paul am a presoner of Iesus Christ for you Heythen acordinge as ye haue herde of y e office of the grace of God which is geuen me to you warde For by reuelacion was this mystery shewed vnto me as I wrote abouâ— in fewe wordes wherby whan ye rede it 〈◊〉 maye perceaue myne vnderstondynge in y e mystery of Christ which mystery in tymes past was not opened vnto the childreÌ„ of meÌ„ as it is now declared to his holy Apostles and prophetes by the sprete namely that the Heythen shulde be inheritours also and of the same body and partakers of his promes in Christ by the Gospell wherof I am made a mynister acordynge to the gifte of the grace of God which is geueÌ„ me acordinge to the workynge of his power Vnto me the leest of all sayntes is this grace geuen that I shulde preach amonge the HeytheÌ„ y e vnsearcheable riches of Christ and to make all men se what is the fellishippe of the mystery which froÌ„ the begynnynge of the worlde hath bene hyd in God which made all thiÌ„ges thorow Iesus Christ to the intent that now vnto the rulers and powers in heaueÌ„ mighte be knowne by the congregacion the manifolde wyszdome off God acordinge to y e eternall purpose which he hath shewed in Christ Iesu oure LORDE by whom we haue boldnesse and intraunce in all confideÌ„ce thorow faith on him Wherfore I desyre that ye faynte not because of my tribulacions y t I suffre for you which is youre prayse For this cause I bowe my knees vnto the father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ which is the true father ouer all that is called father in heauen and in earth that he graunte you acordinge to y e riches of his glory to be strengthed with power by his sprete in y e inwarde maÌ„ that Christ maye dwell in youre hertes by faith that ye beynge roted and grounded in loue maye be able to coÌ„prehende with all sayntes what is the bredth and the length and the deepth and the heyth and to knowe the loue of Christ which loue yet passeth all knowlege that ye maye be fylled with all maner of fulnesse of God Vnto him that is able to do exceadinge abundauntly aboue all that we axe or vnderstonde acordinge to y e power that worketh in vs be prayse in the congregacion which is in Christ Iesu at all tymes for euer and euer Amen The IIII. Chapter I Therfore which am presoner in the LORDE exhorte you that ye walke as it becoÌ„meth yo r callinge wherin ye are called with all humblenes off mynde and mekenes and longe sufferinge forbearinge one another in loue and be diligent to kepe the vnite of the sprete thorow the bonde of peace One body and one sprete eueÌ„ as ye are called in one hope of youre callynge One LORDE one faith one baptyme one God and father of vs all which is aboue all and thorow all and in you all Vnto euery one of vs is geuen grace acordinge to the measure off the gifte off Christ. Therfore sayeth he He is gone vp an hye and hath led awaye captiuyte captyue and hath geueÌ„ giftes vnto men That he wente vp what is it but that he first came downe in to y e lowest partes of y e earth He that came downe is euen the same which is gone vp aboue all heauens to fulfill all And y e same hath set some to be Apostles some to be prophetes some to be Euangelistes some to be shepherdes teachers wherby the sayntes mighte be coupled together thorow comen seruyce to the edifienge of y e body of Christ tyll we all come vnto one maner of faith and knowlege of the sonne of God and become a perfecte man in to the measure of the perfecte age of Christ that we be nomore children waueringe caried aboute with euery wynde of doctryne thorow the wickednes of men and craftynes wherby they laye awayte for vs to disceaue vs. But let vs folowe the trueth in loue and in all thinges growe in him which is the heade euen Christ in whom all the body is coupled together and one membre hangeth by another thorow out all y e ioyntes Wherby one mynistreth vnto another acordinge to the operacion as euery membre hath his measure and maketh that y e body groweth to the edifienge of it selfe in loue This I saye therfore and testifye in the LORDE that ye walke nomore * as y e other Heythen walke in the vanite of their mynde blynded in their vnderstondinge beynge straungers froÌ„ the life which is in God thorow the ignoraunce that is in them because of the blyndnes of their hert which beynge past repentaunce haue geueÌ„ them selues ouer vnto wantonnes to worke all maner of vnclennes euen with gredynesse But ye haue not so learned Christ yf so be that ye haue herde of him are taught in him euen as the trueth is in Iesu. So then as concernynge the conuersacion in tyme past laye from you that olde man which marreth himselfe thorow disceauable lustes but be ye renued in the sprete of youre mynde and put on that new man which is shapen after God in true righteousnes and holynes Wherfore put awaye lyenge and speake euery man the trueth vnto his neghboure for as moch as we are membres one of another Be angrie but synne not Let not y e Sonne go downe vpoÌ„ youre wrath nether geue place to the bacbyter He that hath stollen let him steale nomore but let him laboure rather and do some good with his hondes that he maye haue to geue vnto him that nedeth Let no filthy communicacion proceade out of youre mouth but that which is good to edifye withall whaÌ„ nede is that it be gracious to heare And greue not the holy sprete of God wherwith ye are sealed vnto y e daye of redempcion Let all bytternes and fearsnes and wrath and
and brother Timotheus To y e sayntes which are at Colossa and brethren that beleue in Christ. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father froÌ„ the LORDE Iesus Christ. We geue thankes vnto God and the father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ prayenge allwayes for you sence we herde of youre faith in Christ Iesu and of youre loue to all sayntes for y e hopes sake which is layed vp in stoare for you in heauen of the which ye haue herde before by the worde of trueth in the Gospell which is come vnto you eueÌ„ as it is in to all the worlde and is frutefull as it is in you sence y e daye y t ye herde and knewe the grace of God in y e trueth as ye learned of Epaphras oure deare felowe seruaunt which is a faithfull mynister of Christ for you which also declared vnto vs youre loue in the sprete For this cause we also sence the daye y t we herde of it ceasse not to praye for you desyre that ye mighte be fulfylled with the knowlege of his will in all wyszdome and spirituall vnderstondinge that ye mighte walke worthy off the LORDE to please him in all thinges and to be frutefull in all good workes and growe in the knowlege of God to be strengthed w t all power acordinge to the mighte of his glory to all pacience and longsufferynge with ioyfulnes and geue thankes vnto the father which hath made vs mete for the enheritaunce of sayntes in lighte Which hath delyuered vs froÌ„ the power of darknesse translated vs in to the kyngdome of his deare sonne in whom we haue redempcion thorow his bloude namely the forgeuenes of synnes Which is the ymage of the inuisyble God first begotteÌ„ before all creatures For by him were all thinges created that are in heauen and earth thinges vysible and thinges inuysible whether they be maiesties or lordshippes ether rules or powers All thinges are created by him and in him and he is before all thinges and in him all thinges haue their beynge And he is the heade of the body namely of the coÌ„gregacion he is the begynnynge and first begotten from the deed that in all thinges he mighte haue the preemynence For it pleased the father that in him shulde dwell all fulnesse and that by him all thinges shulde be reconciled vnto himselfe whether they be thinges vpon earth or in heauen that thorow the bloude on his crosse he mighte make peace euen thorow his owne selfe And you which were in tymes past straungers and enemies because youre myndes were set in euell workes hath he now reconcyled in the body of his flesh thorow death to make you holy and vnblameable with out faute in his awne sighte yf ye contynue grounded and stablished in the faith and be not moued awaye from y e hope of the Gospell wherof ye haue herde which is preached amonge all creatures y t are vnder heauen wherof I Paul am made a mynister Now ioye I in my sufferynges which I suffre for you and fulfill that which is behynde of the passions of Christ in my flesh for his bodyes sake which is the congregacion wherof I am made a mynister acordinge to y e Godly office of preachinge which is geuen vnto me amonge you that I shulde richely preach the worde of God namely that mystery which hath bene hyd sence the worlde beganne and sence the begynnynge of tymes but now is opened vnto his sayntes to whom God wolde make knowne the glorious riches of this mistery amoÌ„ge y e Heythen which riches is Christ in you eueÌ„ he that is the hope of glory whoÌ„ we preach and warne all men and teach all men in all wyszdome to make euery man parfecte in Christ Iesu Wherin I also laboure and stryue acordinge to the workynge of him which worketh mightely in me The II. Chapter I Wolde ye knewe what fightinge I haue for youre sakes and for them of Laodicea and for as many as haue not sene my personne in the flesh that their hertes mighte be comforted and knytt together in loue to all riches of full vnderstoÌ„dinge which is in the knowlege of the mystery of God the father and of Christ in whom are hyd aâ—l the treasures of wyszdome and knowlege This I saye lest eny man shulde begyle you with entysinge wordes For though I be absent in the flesh yet am I present with you in the sprete ioyenge and beholdinge youre order and the stedfastnes of youre faith in Christ. As ye haue therfore receaued Christ Iesu the LORDE euen so walke in him and be roted buylded in him and be stedfast in faith as ye haue learned be plenteous in the same in geuynge thankes Bewarre lest eny maÌ„ spoyle you thorow philosophy and disceatfull vanite after the tradicions of men and after the ordinauÌ„ces of the worlde and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godheade bodely and ye are complete in him which is the heade of all rule and power in whom also ye are circumcysed with circumcision without handes by puttynge of the synfull body of the flesh namely with the circumcysion of Christ in that ye are buried with him thorow baptyme in whom ye are also rysen agayne thorow faith that is wrought by the operacion of God which raysed him vp from the deed And with him he quyckened you whan ye were deed in synnes and in the vncircumcision of youre flesh and hath forgeuen vs all synnes and put out the handwrytinge that was agaynst vs coÌ„tayned in the lawe wrytten and that hath he taken out of the waye and fastened it to the crosse And hath spoyled rule and power and hath made a shewe of them openly and triumphed ouer them in his awne persone Let no man therfore trouble youre consciences aboute meate or drynke or for a pece of an holy daye as the holy daye of y e newe Mone or of the Sabbath dayes which are the shadowe of the thinges that were for to come but the body selfe is in Christ. Let no man make you shote at a wronge mark which after his owne chosynge walketh in humblenes and spiritualtye of angels thinges which he neuer sawe and is vayne and puft vp in his owne fleshly mynde and holdeth not himselfe to the heade wherof the whole body by ioyntes and couples receaueth norishment and is knyt together and so groweth to the greatnes that commeth of God Wherfore yf ye be deed with Christ from the ordinaunces of the worlde why are ye holden theÌ„ with soch tradicions as though ye lyued after the worlde As whan they saye Touch not this taist not that handle not that All these thinges do hurte vnto men because of the abuse of them which abuse commeth onely of the commaundementes and doctrynes of men which thinges haue
honestie For that is good and accepted in y e sighte of God oure Sauioure which wil haue all men saued and to come vnto the knowlege of y e trueth For there is one God and one mediatour betwene God and men namely the man Christ Iesus which gaue him selfe a raunsome for all men that at his tyme it shulde be preached wherevnto I am ordeyned a preacher an Apostle I tell y e trueth in Christ and lye not a teacher of the Heythē in faith and in the trueth I wil therfore that men praye in all places liftinge vp pure hādes without wrath or dowtynge Likewyse also the wemen that they araye them selues in comly apparell with shamfastnes and discrete behaueo r not with broyded heer or golde or perles or costly araye but with soch as it becommeth wemē that professe godlynes thorow good workes Let the woman lerne in sylēce with all subieccion I suffre not a womā to teach ner to haue auctorite ouer the man but for to be in sylence For Adam was first formed and thē Eue Adam also was not disceaued but the woman was disceaued and hath brought in the trāsgression Notwitstondynge thorow bearynge of children she shal be saued yf she contynue in faith and in loue in the sanctifyenge with discrecion The III. Chapter THis is a true sayēge Yf a mā covet y e office of a Biszhoppe he desyreth a good worke But a Biszhoppe must be blamelesse the huszbāde of one wife sober discrete manerly harberous apte to teach Not geuen to moch wyne no fighter not geuen to filthy lucre but gentle abhorrynge stryfe abhorrynge couetousnes one that ruleth his awne house honestly hauynge obedient children with all honestye But yf a man can not rule his owne house how shal he care for the congregacion of God He maye not be a yōge scolar left he be puft vp and fall in to the iudgment of y e euell speaker He must also haue a good reporte of them which are without lest he fall in to the rebuke and snare of the euell speaker Likewyse must the mynisters be honest not double tonged not geuen to moch wyne nether vnto fylthie lucre but hauynge the mystery of faith in pure conscience And let them first be proued and then let them mynister yf they be blamelesse Euen so must their wyues be honest not euell speakers but sober and faithfull in all thinges Let the mynisters be euery one the huszbāde of one wyfe and soch as rule their children well and their owne housholdes For they that mynister well get them selues a good degree and greate libertye in the faith which is in Christ Iesu. These thinges wryte I vnto the trustinge shortly to come vnto the but yf I tary lōge that then thou mayest yet haue knowlege how thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in Gods house which is the congregacion of the lyuynge God the piler and grounde of trueth and without naye greate is that mystery of godlynes God was shewed in the flesh was iustified in the sprete was sene of angels was preached vnto the Heythen was beleued on in the worlde was receaued vp in glory The IIII. Chapter THe sprete speaketh euydently that in y e latter tymes some shal departe from the faith and shal geue hede vnto spretes of erroure and deuelish doctrynes of them which speake false thorow ypocrysie and haue their cōscience marked with an whote yron forbyddinge to mary and cōmaundynge to abstayne frō the meates which God hath created to be receaued w t geuynge thankes of them which beleue and knowe the trueth For euery creature off God is good and nothinge to be refused y t is receaued with thankesgeuynge for it is sanctifyed by the worde of God and prayer Yf thou shalt put the brethren in remembraunce of these thinges thou shalt be a good mynister of Iesu Christ which hast bene norished vp in the wordes of faith and of good doctryne which thou hast folowed hither to As for vngoostly and olde wyuesh fables cast them awaye but exercyse thy selfe vnto godlynes For bodely exercyse profyteth litle but godlynes is profytable vnto all thinges as a thinge which hath promyses of the life that is now and of the life for to come This is a sure sayenge of all partes worthy to be receaued For therfore we laboure and suffre rebuke because we hope in the lyuynge God which is the Sauioure of all men but specially of those that beleue Soch thinges commaunde thou and teach Let no man despyse y e youth but be thou vnto them that beleue an ensample in worde in cōuersacion in loue in y e sprete in faith in purenesse Geue attendaunce to readynge to exhortacion to doctryne vntyll I come Be not necligent in the gifte that is geuen the thorow prophecye with layēge on of the handes of the Elders These thinges exercyse and geue thy selfe vnto them that thine increace maye be manifest vnto euery man Take hede vnto thy selfe and to learnynge cōtynue in these thinges For yf thou so do thou shalt saue thy selfe and them that hearethe The V. Chapter EEbuke not an Elder but exhorte him as a father and the yōger men as brethren the elder wemen as mothers the yonger as sisters with all purenes Hono r wedowes which are true wedowes Yf eny wedowe haue children or neves let them lerne first to rule their awne houses godly and to recompence their elders For y t is good acceptable before God But she that is a right wedowe desolate putteth hir trust in God cōtynueth in prayer and supplicacion nighte and daye But she that lyueth in pleasures is deed euen yet a lyne And these thinges commaunde that they maye be without blame But yf there be eny man that prouydeth not for his awne and specially for them of his houszholde the same hath denyed the faith and is worse then an infydele Let no wedowe be chosen vnder thre score yeare olde and soch one as was y e wife of one man and well reported of in good workes yf she haue brought vp children well yf she haue bene harberous yf she haue wasshed the sayntes fete yf she haue mynistred vnto thē which were in aduersite yf she were continually geuen to all maner of good workes But y e yonger wedowes refuse For whan they haue begonne to waxe wanton agaynst Christ then wil they mary hauynge their damnacion because they haue brokē y e first faith Besydes this they are ydell and lerne to runne aboute frō house to house Not onely are they ydell but also tryflinge busy bodies speakynge thinges which are not comly I wil therfore that the yonger wemen mary beare children gyde the house to geue y e aduersary no occasion to speake euell For some are turned back allready after Sathā Yf eny man or woman that beleueth
the father which without respecte of personnes iudgeth acordynge to euery mans worke se y t ye passe y e tyme of youre pilgremage in feare and knowe that ye were not redemed w t corruptible syluer and golde from youre vayne conuersacion which ye receaued by the tradicioÌ„s of the fathers but with the precious bloude of Christ as of an innoceÌ„t and vndefyled lambe which was ordeyned before the worlde was made but is declared in these last tymes for youre sakes which thorow him beleue on God that raysed him vp from the deed and hath geueÌ„ him the glory that ye might haue faith hope in God Euen ye which haue purifyed youre soules in obeyenge the trueth thorow the sprete for to loue brotherly without faynynge feruently one to loue another w t a pure hert as they that are borne a new not of corruptible sede but of vncorruptible eueÌ„ by the lyuynge worde of God which endureth for euer For all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the floure of grasse The grasse withereth the flâ—ure falleth awaye but the worde of the LORDE endureth for euer This is the worde that is preached amonge you The II. Chapter WHerfore laye asyde all maliciousnes and all gyle and ypocrisye and envye and all bacbytinge as new borne babes desyre that reasonable mylke which is without corrupcion that ye maye growe therin yf so be that ye haue taisted how frendly the LORDE is Vnto whom ye are come as to the lyuynge stone which is disalowed of men but chosen of God and precious And ye also as lyuynge stones are made a spirituall house and an holy presthode to offre vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. Wherfore it is conteyned in the scripture Beholde I put in Sion an heade corner stone electe precious and he that beleueth on him shal 〈◊〉 be coÌ„founded Vnto you therfore which 〈…〉 he is precious but vnto them that 〈…〉 is y e same stone which the 〈…〉 made the heade stone in the 〈…〉 one to stomble at and a rock to be offended at namely in theÌ„ which stomble at y e worde and beleue not that wheron they were set But ye are that chosen generacion that kyngly presthode that holy nacion that peculier people y t ye shulde shewe the vertues of him which hath called you out of darknesse in to his maruelous lighte Euen you which in tyme past were not a people but now are the people of God which were not vnder mercy but now haue optayned mercy Dearly beloued I beseke you as straungers and pilgrems absteyne froÌ„ the fleshly lustes which fighte agaynst the soule and lede an honest conuersacion amonge the Heythen that they which bacbyte you as euell doers maye se youre good workes and prayse God in the daye of visitacion Submytte youre selues vnto all maner ordinaunce of men for the LORDES sake whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto y e chefe heade or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for the punyshment of euell doers but for the prayse of theÌ„ that do well For so is the will of God that ye with well doynge shulde put to sylence the ignoraunce of folishmen as fre and not as hauynge the libertye for a cloke of wickednes but eueÌ„ as the seruauntes of God Honoure all men Loue brotherly fellishippe Feare God Honoure the kynge Ye seruauÌ„tes obey youre masters with all feare not onely yf they be good and curteous but also though they be frowarde For that is grace yf a man for conscience towarde God endure grefe and suffre wronge For what prayse is it yf whaÌ„ ye be buffeted for yo r fautes ye take it paciently But yf whan ye do well ye suffre wronge and take it paciently that is grace with God For herevnto are ye called for so moch as Christ also suffred for vs leauynge vs an ensample that ye shulde folowe his fotesteppes which dyd no synne nether was there gyle founde in his mouth which whan he was reuyled reuyled not agayne whaÌ„ he suffred he threatened not but commyted the cause vnto him that iudgeth righteously which his owne selfe bare oure synnes in his body vpon the tre that we shulde be delyuered from synne shulde lyue vnto righteousnes by whose strypes ye were healed For ye were as shepe goinge astraye but now are ye turned vnto the shepherde and Biszhoppe of youre soules The III. Chapter LIkewyse let the wyues be in subieccion to their huszbandes that euen they which beleue not the worde maye without the worde be wonne by y e coÌ„uersacion of the wyues whan they beholde yo pure conuersacion in feare Whose apparell shal not be outwarde w t broyded heer hanginge on of golde or in puttynge on of gorgious araye but let y e inwarde maÌ„ of y e hert be vncorrupte w t a meke a quyete sprete which before God is moch set by For after this maner in the olde tyme dyd y e holy wemeÌ„ which trusted in God tyer theÌ„selues were obedient vnto their huszbaÌ„des Euen as Sara obeyed Abraham and called him lorde whose doughters ye are as loÌ„ge as ye do well not beynge afrayed for eny trouble Likewyse ye men dwell with them acordinge vnto knowlege geuynge hono vnto the wife as to the weaker vessel as vnto theÌ„ y t are heyres with you of the grace of life that youre prayers be not let But in conclusion be ye all of one mynde one suffre with another loue as brethren be pitefull be curteous RecoÌ„pence not euell for euell nether rebuke for rebuke but coÌ„trary wyse blesse and knowe that ye are called therto euen y t ye shulde be heyres of y e blessynge For who so listeth to lyue and wolde fayne se good dayes Let him refrayne his tonge from euell and his lippes y t they speake no gyle Let him eschue euell do good Let him seke peace and ensue it For y e eyes of the LORDE are ouer the righteous his eares are open vnto their prayers But y e face of the LORDE beholdeth theÌ„ y t do euell And who is it that can harme you yf ye folowe that which is good Not withstoÌ„dinge blessed are ye yf ye suffre for righteousnes sake Feare not ye their threatnynge nether be troubled but sanctifye the LORDE God in youre hertes Be ready allwayes to geue an answere to euery maÌ„ that axeth you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes feare hauynge a good conscience that they which bacbyte you as euell doers maye be ashamed that they haue falsely accused youre good coÌ„uersacion in Christ. For it is better yf the wyll of God be so that ye suffre for well doynge theÌ„ for euell doynge For as moch as
I haue 〈…〉 vnto you as though ye knewe not y e trâ—eth but ye knowe it are sure y t no lye coÌ„meth of y e trueth Who is a lyar but he y t denyeth y e Iesus is Christ The same is y e Antichrist y t denyeth the father y e sonne Whosoeuer denyeth the sonne the same hath not the father Loke what ye haue herde now from y e begynnynge let the same abyde in you Yf y t which he herde from the begynnynge shal remayne in you then shal ye also abyde in y e sonne and in the father And this is the promes y t he hath promysed vs eueÌ„ eternall life This haue I wrytteÌ„ vnto you coÌ„cerninge theÌ„ that disceaue you And the anoyntinge which ye haue receaued of him dwelleth in you ye nede not y t eny maÌ„ teach you but as the anoyntinge teacheth you all thiÌ„ges euen so is it true is no lye And as it hath taughte you eueÌ„ so abide ye therin And now babes abyde in hiÌ„ y t whaÌ„ he shal appeare we maye be bolde not be made ashamed of him at his commynge Yf ye knowe y t he is righteous knowe also that he which doth righteousnes is borne of him The III. Chapter BEholde what loue the father hath shewed on vs y t we shulde be called the childreÌ„ of God Therfore y e worlde knoweth you not because it knoweth not him Dearly beloued we are now y e childreÌ„ of God and yet hath it not appeared what we shal be But we knowe y t when he shal appeare we shal be like him for we shal se him as he is And euery man y t hath this hope in him pourgeth him selfe euen as he is pure Who so euer coÌ„mytteth synne coÌ„mytteth vnrighteousnes also and synne is vnrighteousnes And ye knowe that he appeared to take awaye oure synnes and in him is no synne Who so euer abydeth in him synneth not who soeuer synneth hath not sene him nether knowne him Babes let no man disceaue you He that doeth righteousnes is righteous euen as he is righteous He that commytteth synne is of the deuell for the deuell synneth sence y e begynnynge For this purpose appeared the sonne of God to lowse the workes of the deuell * Who so euer is borne of God synneth not for his * sede remayneth in him he caÌ„ not synne because he is borne of God * By this are the children of God knowne the children of the deuell Who so euer doeth not righteousnes is not of God nether he 〈◊〉 loueth not his brother 〈◊〉 this is the tydinges which ye haue 〈◊〉 the begynnynge that ye shulde 〈◊〉 one another * not as Cain â–ª which was of the wicked and slewe his brother And wherfore slewe he him euen because his awne workes were euell and his brothers righteous Maruayle not my brethren though the worlde hate you We knowe y t we are traÌ„slated from death vnto life because we loue the brethren He that loueth not his brother abydeth in death Who soeuer hateth his brother is a mansleyer And ye knowe that a mansleyer hath not eternall life abydinge in him Hereby haue we perceaued loue that he gaue his life for vs and therfore ought we also to geue oure lyues for the brethreÌ„ But he y t hath this worldes good seyth his brother haue nede and shutteth vp his hert froÌ„ him how dwelleth the loue of God in him My litle children let vs not loue with worde nether with tonge but with y e dede and with the trueth Hereby knowe we that we are of the verite and can quyete oure hertes before him But yf oure hert condemne vs God is greater theÌ„ oure hert and knoweth all thinges Dearly beloued yf oure hert condemne vs not then haue we a fre boldnes to God warde And what so euer we axe we shal receaue it because we kepe his coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes and do those thinges which are pleasaunt in his sighte And this is his coÌ„maundement that we beleue on y e name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commaundement And he that kepeth his commaundementes dwelleth in him and he in him And hereby knowe we that he abydeth in vs euen by the sprete which he hath geuen vs. The IIII. Chapter DEarly beleued beleue not ye euery sprete but proue the spretes whether they be of God For many false prophetes are gone out in to the worlde Hereby shal ye knowe the sprete of God Euery sprete which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And euery sprete which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not off God And this is that sprete of Antechrist off whom ye haue herde how that he shal come and euen now allready is he in the worlde Litle children ye are off God and haue ouer come them for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the worlde They are off the worlde therfore speake they off the worlde and the worlde herkeneth vnto them We are of God and he that knoweth God herkeneth vnto vs he that is not of God heareth vs not Hereby knowe we the sprete of trueth and y e sprete of erroure Dearly beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of God And euery one y t loueth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue By this appeared the loue of God to vs warde because that God sent his onely begotten sonne in to this worlde that we mighte lyue thorow him Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make agremeÌ„t for oure synnes Dearly beloued yf God so loued vs we oughte also to loue one another No man hath sene God at eny tyme. Yf we loue one another God dwelleth in vs and his loue is perfecte in vs. Hereby knowe we that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath geuen vs of his sprete And we haue sene testifye that the father sent the sonne to be the Sauioure of the worlde Who soeuer now confesseth y t Iesus is the sonne of God in him dwelleth God and he in God and we haue knowne and beleued the loue that God hath to vs. God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Here in is the loue perfecte with vs that we shulde haue a fre boldnesse in the daye of iudgment for as he is eueÌ„ so are we in this worlde Feare is not in loue but perfecte loue casteth out feare for feare hath paynefulnes He that feareth is not perfecte in loue Let vs loue him for he loued vs first Yf eny man saye I loue God yet hateth his brother he is a lyar For he that loueth not his brother whom he seyth how can he loue God whom he
seyth not And this coÌ„maundement haue we of him that he which loueth God shulde loue his brother also The V. Chapter WHo so euer beleueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God And who soeuer loueth him that begat loueth him also which was begotten of him By this we knowe that we loue Gods children whan we loue God and kepe his commaundementes For this is the loue of God that we kepe his commaundementes and his commaundemeÌ„tes are not greuous For all that is borne of God ouer commeth the worlde and this is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde eueÌ„ oure faith Who is it y t ouercommeth the worlde but he which beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God This is he that coÌ„meth with water and bloude euen Iesus Christ not with water onely but with water and bloude And it is the sprete that beareth wytnes for the sprete is the trueth For there are thre which beare recorde in heauen the father the worde and the holy goost these thre are one And there are thre which beare recorde in earth the sprete water and bloude and these thre are one Yf we receaue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater for this is the wytnesse of God which he testifyed of his sonne He that beleueth on y e sonne of God hath the wytnes in him selfe He that beleueth not God hath made him a lyar And this is that recorde euen y t God hath geueÌ„ vs euerlastinge life And this life is in his sonne He that hath the sonne of God hath life He that hath not the sonne of God hath not life These thinges haue I wrytteÌ„ vnto you which beleue on the name of the sonne of God that ye maye knowe how that ye haue eternall life and that ye maye beleue on y e name of the sonne of God And this is the fre boldnesse which we haue towarde him that yf we axe eny thinge acordinge to his wyll he heareth vs. And yf we knowe that he heareth vs what so euer we axe then are we sure that we haue y e peticions which we haue desyred of him Yf eny man se his brother synne a synne not vnto death let him axe and he shal geue him life for theÌ„ y t synne not vnto death There is a synne vnto death for the which saye I not that a man shulde praye All vnrighteousnes is synne and there is synne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne off God synneth not but he that is begotteÌ„ of God kepeth himselfe y t wicked toucheth him not We knowe that we are of God the worlde is set alltogether on wickednes But we knowe that the sonne of God is come and hath geuen vs a mynde to knowe him which is true and we are in him y t is true in his sonne Iesu Christ. This is the true God and euer lastinge life Babes kepe youre selues from ymage The seconde Epistle of S. Ihon. The summe of this epistle He wryteth vnto a certayne lady reioyseth that her children walke in the trueth exhorteth theÌ„ vnto loue warneth them to bewarre of soch disceauers as denye that Iesus Christ came in the flesh prayeth them to contynue in the doctryne of Christ and to haue nothinge to do with them that bringe not this lernynge THE Elder To y e electe lady and hir childreÌ„ whom I loue in the trueth not I onely but all they also that haue knowne the trueth for the truthes sake which dwelleth in vs and shal be with vs for euer Grace mercy and peace be with you froÌ„ the LORDE Iesus Christ y e sonne of the father in the trueth and in loue I am greatly reioysed that I haue founde amonge thy children them that walke in y e trueth as we haue receaued a commaundement of the father And now lady I beseke the not as though I wrote a new commaundement vnto the but the same which we haue had from the begynnynge that we loue one another And this is the loue that we walke after his commaundementes This is the commaundement as ye haue herde froÌ„ the begynnynge that we shulde walke therin For many disceauers are come in to the worlde which confesse not y t Iesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a disceauer and an Antechrist Take hede to youre selues that we lose not that which we haue wrought but that we maye receaue a full rewarde Who so euer transgresseth and abydeth not in the doctryne of Christ hath not God he that abydeth in y e doctryne of Christ hath both the father and the sonne Yf eny man come vnto you and brynge not this doctryne receaue him not in to the house nether salute him for he that saluteth him is partaker of his euell dedes I had 〈◊〉 any thinges to wryte vnto you neuertheâ—â—â—â— I wolde not wryte w t papyre and ynke 〈…〉 to come vnto you and to 〈…〉 mouth that oure ioye 〈…〉 â—hildren of thy electe sister The thirde Epistle of S. Ihon. The summe of this epistle He is glad of Gaius that he walketh in the trueth exhorteth him to be louynge vnto the poore christen in their persecucion sheweth the vnkynde dealynge of Diotrephes and the good reporte of Demetrius THE Elder To the beloued Gaius whom I loue in the trueth My beloued I wysshe in all thinges that thou prospere and fare well euen as thy soule prospereth I reioysed greatly whan the brethren came and testified of the trueth that is in y e how thou walkest in the trueth I haue no greater ioye theÌ„ to heare that my childreÌ„ walke in the trueth My beloued thou doest faithfully what so euer thou doest to the brethren and to strauÌ„gers which haue borne witnesse of thy loue before the congregacion and thou hast done well that thou dyddest brynge them forwarde on their iourney worthely before God For because of his names sake they wente forth and toke nothinge of the Heythen We therfore oughte to receaue soch that we mighte be helpers vnto the trueth I wrote to the congregacion but Diotriphes which loueth to haue the preemynence amonge them receaued vs not Wherfore yf I come I wil declare his dedes which he doeth ieastinge vpoÌ„ vs with malicious wordes nether is he therwith coÌ„tent Not onely he himselfe receaueth not the brethreÌ„ but also he forbyddeth them that wolde and thrusteth them out of the congregacion My beloued folowe not y t which is euell but that which is good He that doeth well is of God but he that doeth euell seyth not God Demetrius hath good reporte of all men and of the trueth yee and we oure selues also beare recorde and ye knowe that oure recorde is true I had many thinges to wryte but I wolde not with ynke and pen wryte vnto the. But I trust shortly to se the and so wyl we speake together mouth to mouth Peace be with the. The louers salute the. Grete the louers
reserued vnto fyre agaynst the daye of iudgment and damnacion of vngodlymen Dearly beloued be not ignoraunt of this one thinge how that one daye is with the LORDE as a thousande yeare and a thousande yeare as one daye The LORDE is not slacke to fulfyll his promes as some mē counte slacknesse but is paciēt to vs warde and wyl not that eny mā shulde be lost but that euery man shulde amende himselfe Neuertheles the daye of the LORDE shal come euen as a these in the night in the which daye the heauens shal perishe with a greate noyse and the Elementes shal melte with heate and the earth and y e workes that are therin shal burne Yf all these thinges shal perishe what maner persons then ought ye to be in holy cōuersacion and godlynes lokynge for and hastynge vnto the commynge of the LORDE In the which the heauens shal perishe with fyre and the elementes shal melt with heate Neuertheles we loke for a new heauen and a new earth acordynge to his promes wherin dwelleth righteousnes Wherfore dearly beloued seynge that ye loke for soch thinges be diligent y t ye maye be founde before him in peace without spot and vndefyled and counte the long sufferynge of oure LORDE youre saluacion Euen as oure dearly beloued brother Paul acordinge to the wyszdome geuē vnto him wrote vnto you yee speakinge ther of allmost in all Epistles wherin are many thinges harde to be vnderstonde which they that are vnlerned and vnstable peruerte as they do the other scriptures also to their awne dānacion Ye therfore beloued seynge ye knowe it before hande bewarre lest ye also be plucte awaye thorow the erroure of y e wicked and fall from yo r owne sted fastnes But growe in grace and in the knowlege of oure LORDE and Sauioure Iesus Christ. To him be prayse now and for euer Amen The first Epistle of the Apostle and Euangelist S. Ihon. The summe of this epistle Chap. I. True wytnesse of the euerlastinge worde of God The bloude of Christ is the purgacion from synne No man is without synne Chap. II. Christ is oure aduocate Of true loue and how it is tryed Chap. III. The synguler loue of God to warde vs and how we agayne oughte to loue one another Chap. IIII. Difference of spretes and how the sprete of God maye be knowne from the sprete of erroure Of the loue of God and of oure neghbours Chap. V. To loue God is to kepe his commaundemētes Faith ouercommeth the worlde Euerlastinge life is in the sonne of God ▪ Of the synne vnto death The first Chapter THat which was from y e begynnynge which we haue herde which we haue sene with o r eyes which we haue loked vpon and o r handes haue handled of the worde of life and the life hath appeared and we haue sene and beare wytnes and shewe vnto you y e life that is euerlastinge which was with the father and hath apeared vnto vs. That which we haue sene herde declare we vnto you that ye also maye haue fellishippe with vs and that oure fellishippe maye be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ. And this wryte we vnto you that youre ioye maye be full And this is the tydinges which we haue herde of him declare vnto you that ▪ God is lighte and in him is no darknes at all Yf we saye that we haue fellishippe with him and yet walke in darknes we lye and do not the trueth But yf we walke in lighte euen as he is in lighte then haue we fellishippe together and the bloude of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all synne Yf we saye that we haue no synne we disceaue oure selues and the trueth is not in vs. But yf we knowlege oure synnes he is faith full and iust to forgeue vs oure synnes to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes Yf we saye we haue not synned we make him a lyar and his worde is not in vs. The II. Chapter MY litle children these thinges wryte I vnto you that ye shulde not synne and yf eny man synne we haue an aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christ which is righteous and he it is that optayneth grace for oure synnes not for oure synnes onely but also for the synnes of all the worlde And hereby are we sure that we knowe him yf we kepe his cōmaundemētes He that sayeth I knowe him and kepeth not his cōmaundemētes is a lyar and the trueth is not in him But who so kepeth his worde in him is the loue of God perfecte in dede Hereby knowe we that we are in him He y t sayeth he abydeth in him oughte to walke euen as he walked Brethren I wryte no new commaundement vnto you but that olde commaundement which ye haue herde from the begynnynge The olde cōmaundement is the worde which ye haue herde from the begynnynge Agayne a new cōmaundemēt wryte I vnto you a thinge that is true in him also in you for the darknesse is past and the true lighte now shyneth He that sayeth he is in lighte and hateth his brother is yet in darknesse He y t loueth his brother abydeth in the lighte and there is none occasion of euell in him But he y t hateth his brother is in darknes and walketh in darknes and can not tell whither he goeth for y e darknes hath blynded his eyes Babes I wryte vnto you that yo r synnes are forgeuen you for his names sake I wryte vnto you fathers how that ye haue knowne him which is from y e begynnynge I wryte vnto you yonge mē how that ye haue euercome the wicked I wryte vnto you litle children how that ye haue knowne the father I haue wrytten vnto you fathers how that ye haue knowne him which is frō the begynnynge I haue wrytten vnto you yonge men how that ye are stronge and the worde of God abydeth in you and ye haue ouer come that wicked Se that ye loue not the worlde nether y e thinges that are in the worlde Yf eny man loue the worlde the loue of the father is not in him for all that is in the worlde namely the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pryde of life is not of the father but of the worlde And the worlde passeth awaye and the lust therof But he that fulfylleth the wyll of God abydeth for euer Litle children it is the last houre and as ye haue herde that Antechrist shal come euen now are there many become Antechristes allready wherby we knowe that it is y e last houre They wente out frō vs but they were not of vs for yf they had bene of vs they wolde no doute haue contynued with vs. But * that they maye be knowne 〈◊〉 that they are not all of vs. But ye haue the anoyntinge of 〈…〉 holy ye knowe all thīges