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
childe she thinketh nomore of the anguyshe for ioye that a man is borne in to the worlde And now haue ye sorowe also but I wil se you agayne and youre hert shal reioyse and you reioye shal noman take from you And in that daye shal ye axe me no question Verely verely I saye vnto you Yf ye axe y e father ought in my name he shal geue it you Hither to haue ye axed nothinge in my name Axe and ye shal receaue y t youre ioye maye be perfecte These thinges haue I spoken vnto you by prouerbes Neuertheles the tyme commeth that I shal speake nomore by prouerbes but I shal shewe you planely of my father In that daye shal ye axe in my name And I saye not vnto you that I wyl praye vnto the father for you for the father himself loueth you because ye haue loued me beleued that I am come out from God I wente out from the father and came into the worlde Agayne I leaue y e worlde and go to the father His disciples sayde vnto him Beholde now talkest thou planely and speakest no prouerbe Now are we sure y t thou knowest all thinges and nedest not that eny mā shulde axe the. Therfore beleue we that thou camest out from God Iesus answered them Now ye do beleue Beholde the houre draweth nye and is come allready that ye shal be scatred euery man in to his awne and shal leaue me alone and yet am I not alone for the father is with me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye might haue peace In y e worlde haue ye trouble but be of good comforte I haue ouercome the worlde The XVII Chapter THese thinges spake Iesus and lift vp his eyes towarde heauen and sayde Father the houre is come that thou glorifye thy sonne that thy sonne also maye glorifye the. Like as thou hast geuen him power ouer all fleshe that he shulde geue euerlastinge life to as many as thou hast geuen him But this is the life euerlastinge that they knowe the that thou onely art the true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. I haue glorified y e vpō earth fynished y e worke y t thou gauest me to do And now glorifye me thou father by thine awne self with y e glory which I had or euer the worlde was I haue declared thy name vnto y e men whom thou gauest me from the worlde They were thine and thou gauest them vnto me and they haue kepte thy worde Now knowe they that all thinges what so euer thou hast geuen me are of the. For y e wordes which thou gauest me haue I geuē vnto them and they haue receaued them knowne of a trueth that I am come forth from the and haue beleued that thou hast sent me I praye for them and praye not for the worlde but for them whom thou hast geuen me for they are thine And all that is myne is thine and what thine is that is myne And I am glorifyed in them And now am I nomore in the worlde and they are in y e worlde and I come to the. Holy father kepe in thy name those whom thou hast geuē me that they maye be one like as we are Whyle I was with thē in the worlde I kepte them in thy name Those y t thou gauest me haue I kepte and none of them is lost but that lost childe that the scripture might be fulfylled But now come I vnto the and this I speake in the worlde that they maye haue my ioye perfecte in them I haue geuen them thy worde and the worlde hateth thē for they are not of the worlde euen as I also am not of the worlde I praye not that thou shuldest take them out of the worlde but that thou kepe thē frō euell They are not of the worlde as I also am not of the worlde Sanctifye them in thy trueth Thy worde is the trueth Like as thou hast sent me in to the worlde so haue I sent them in to the worlde and for their sakes I sanctifye my self that they also maye be sanctifyed in the trueth Neuertheles I praye not for them onely but also for those which thorow their worde shal beleue on me that they all maye be one like as thou father art in me and I in y e that they also maye be one in vs that the worlde maye beleue that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gauest me haue I geuen them that they maye be one like as we are one I in thē and thou in me that they maye be perfecte in one and that the worlde maye knowe that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued me Father I wil that they whom thou hast geuen me be with me where I am y t they maye se my glory which thou hast geuē me for thou hast loued me or euer y e worlde was made Righteous father the worlde hath not knowne y t but I haue knowne y e and these haue knowne that thou hast sent me And I haue declared thy name vnto them wyl declare it y t the loue wherwith thou hast loued me maye be in thē I in them The XVIII Chapter WHan Iesus had thus spokē he wēte forth with his disciples ouer the broke Cedron where there was a gardē in to the which Iesus entred and his disciples But Iudas y t betrayed hī knewe the place also For Iesus resorted thither oft tymes w t his disciples Now whan Iudas had takē vnto him the cōpany mynisters of the hye prestes and Pharises he came thither with creshettes w t lanternes and with weapens Iesus now knowinge all y t shulde come vpon him wēte forth and sayde vnto thē Whom seke ye They answered him Iesus of Nazareth Iesus sayde vnto them I am he Iudas also which betrayed him stode with thē Now whan Iesus sayde vnto thē I am he they wēte bacwardes and fell to the grounde Then axed he thē agayne Whom seke ye They sayde Iesus of Nazareth Iesus answered I haue tolde you that I am he Yf ye seke me then let these go their waye That the worde might be fulfylled which he sayde Of them whō thou gauest me haue I not lost one Then had Symon Peter a swerde and drewe it out and smote the hye prestes seruaūt and cut of his right eare And y e seruaūtes name was Malchus Then sayde Iesus vnto Peter Put vp thy swerde in to the sheeth Shal I not drynke of y e cuppe which my father hath geuē me Then the company and the captayne the officers of the Iewes toke Iesus and bounde him led him awaye first vnto Annas that was fatherlawe vnto Caiphas which was hye prest y t same yeare It was Caiphas which gaue coūcell vnto y e Iewes that it were good
¶ 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
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
but let the heades be preserued at the last Neuertheles I sawe y t the voyce wente not out of his heades but from the myddest of his body And I nombred his cōtrary fethers beholde there were eight of them And I loked beholde vpon the right syde there arose one fether raigned ouer all the earth And it happened y t whan it raigned the ende of it came the place therof appeared no more So the nexte folowinge stode vp raigned had a greate tyme it happened y t whan it raigned the ende of it came also like as the first so that it appeared nomore Then came there a voyce vnto it sayde Heare thou y t hast kepte in the earth so lōge this I saye vnto the before thou begynnest to appeare nomore There shal none after y e atteyne vnto thy tyme. Then arose the thirde raigned as the other afore appeared nomore also So wēte it with all the residue one after another so y t euery one raigned thē appeared nomore Thē I loked beholde in processe of tyme the fethers y t folowed were set vp vpō the right syde y t they might rule also and some of thē ruled but within a while they appeared nomore for some of thē were set vp but ruled not After this I loked beholde y e xij fethers appeared nomore and the two wynges there was nomore vpon the Aegles body but two heades that rested sixe fethers Then sawe I also y t the sixe fethers were parted in two remayned vnder the heade y t was vpon the right syde for the foure cōtynued in their place So I loked and beholde they that were vnder the wynges thought to set vp them selues and to haue the rule Then was there one set vp but shortly it appeared nomore and the seconde were sooner awaye then the first And I behelde and lo the two thought also by thē selues to raigne whā they so thought beholde there waked one of the heades that were at rest namely it that was in the myddest for that was the greater of the two heades And then I sawe that the two heades were fylled with him and the heade was turned with them y t were by him ate vp y e two vnder wynges y t wolde haue raigned But this heade put y e whole earth in feare and bare rule in it ouer all those y t dwelt vpon earth with moch laboure and he had the gouernaunce of the worlde ouer all the foules that haue bene After this I loked and beholde the heade that was in the middest sodenly appeared nomore like as y e wynges then came the two heades which ruled vpon earth ouer those that dwelt therin And I behelde lo the heade vpon the right side deuoured it that was vpon the left syde And I herde a voyce which sayde vnto me loke before the and considre the thinge that thou seist Then I sawe and beholde as it were a lyon that roareth rennynge haistely out of y e wod and he sent out a mans voybe vnto the Aegle and sayde Heare thou I wyl talke with the and the Hyest shal saye vnto the Is it not thou that hast the victory of the foure beastes whom I made to raigne vpon earth and in my worlde and that y e ende of their times might come thorow thē And the fourth came and ouerwanne all the beastes that were past and had power ouer the worlde with greate fearfulnes and ouer the whole compasse of the earth w t the most wicked laboure and so longe time dwelt he vpon the earth with disceate the earth hast thou iudged not with trueth For thou hast troubled the meke thou hast hurte the peaceable and quyete thou hast loued lyers and destroyed the dwellynges of them that brought forth frute and hast cast downe the walles of soch as dyd the no harme Therfore is thy wrongeous dealynge and blasphemy come vp vnto the Hyest and thy pryde vnto the Mightie The Hyest also hath loked vpō the proude tymes and beholde they are ended and their abhominacions are fulfilled And therfore appeare nomore thou Aegle and thy horrible wynges and thy wicked fethers and thy vngracious heades and thy synfull clawes and all thy vayne body that the earth maye be refreshed and come agayne to herself whan she is deliuered from thy violence and that she maye hope for y e iudgment and mercy of him that made her The XII Chapter ANd it happened whā y e Lyō spake these wordes vnto y e Aegle y e heade y t afore had y e vpperhāde appeared nomore nether dyd y e foure wynges appeare eny more y t came to hī were sett vp to raigne their kyngdome was small full of vproure And I sawe beholde they appeared no more y e whole body of y e Aegle was brēt the earth was in greate feare Then awaked I out of the traunce of my mynde and from greate feare and sayde vnto my sprete Lo this hast thou geuen me in y t thou searchest out the wayes of the Hyest lo yet am I weary in my minde and very weake in my sprete and litle strēgth is there in me for the greate feare that I receaued this night Therfore wil I now beseke the Hyest y t he wyl comforte me vnto the ende I sayde LORDE LORDE yf I haue founde grace before thy sight and yf I am iustified with y e before many other yf my prayer be come vp before thy face cōforte me then and shew me thy seruaunt the interpretacion playne differēce of this horrible sight that thou mayest perfectly cōforte my soule for thou hast iudged me worthy to shew me y e last oftymes And he sayde vnto me this is the interpretacion of this sight The Aegle whom thou sawest come vp from the see is the kingdome which was sene in the vision of thy brother Daniel but it was no expounded vnto him for now I declare it vnto the. Beholde the dayes come that there shal ryse vp a kyngdome vpō earth and it shal be feared aboue all the kyngdomes y t were before it In the same kyngdome shal xij kynges raigne one after another For the secōde shal begynne to raigne and shal haue more tyme thē the other this do y e xij wynges signifie which thou sawest As for the voyce that spake and that thou sawest go out from the heades but not from y e body it betokeneth that after the tyme of that kyngdome there shall aryse greate stryuynges and it shal stonde in parell of fallynge neuertheles it shal not yet fall bot shal be set in to his beginnynge And y e eight vnderwynges which thou sawest hāge vnto y e wynges of hī betokē y t in hī there shal aryse eight kynges whose tyme shal be but small their yeares swift two of them shal beare But whan the middest
t the wynde as y e remembraunce of a straūger y t tarieth for a daie thē departeth But y e righteous shal lyue for euermore their rewarde also is w t the LORDE their remembraunce w t the Hyest Therfore shal they receaue a glorious kyngdome a beutifull crowne of the LORDES hande for w t his right hande shal he couer thē w t his owne arme shall he defende thē His gelousy also shal take awaye the harnesse he shal wapē y e creature to be auēged of y e enemies He shal put on righteousnes for a brest plate take sure iudgment in steade of an helmett The invyncible shylde of equite shall he take his cruell wrath shal he sharpē for a speare the whole compase of the worlde shall fight with him agaynst the vnwyse Thē shal the thonder boltes go out of y e lighteninges come out of the rayne bowe of the cloudes to the place apoynted out of the hard stony indignacion there shall fall thick hales y e water of y e see shal be wroth agaynst thē the floudes shal renne roughly together Yee a mightie wynde shal stōde vp agaynst them a storme shall scater thē abrode Thus the vnrighteous dealinge of thē shal bringe all the lōde to a wyldernes wickednes shall ouerthrowe the dwellinges of the mightie The VI. Chapter WYszdome is better then strength a mā of vnderstādinge is more worth thē one y t is strōge Heare therfore O ye kinges vnderstonde O lerne ye y t be iudges of the endes of the earth Geue are ye y t rule y e multitudes delite in moch people For the power is geuē you of the LORDE the strēgth from the Hyest which shal trie yo r workes and search out yo r ymaginaciōs How that ye beynge officers of his kyngdome haue not executed true iudgment haue not kepte the lawe of righteousnes ner walked after his will Horribly that right soone shall he appeare vnto you for an harde iudgmēt shal they haue y t beare rule Mercy is graūted vnto the symple but they that be in auctorite shal be sore punyshed For God which is LORDE ouer all shall excepte no mās personne nether shal he stande in awe of eny mans greatnesse for he hath made y e small and greate careth for all alyke But the mightie shal haue y e sorer punyshmēt Vnto you therfore o ye kinges do I speake y t ye maye lerne wyszdome and not go amysse for they y t kepe righteousnes shal be righteously iudged and they y t are lerned in righteous thinges shal finde to make answere Wherfore set yo r lust vpon my wordes loue thē so shal ye come by nurtor. Wyszdome is a noble thinge neuer faydeth awaie yee she is easely sene of thē that loue her founde of soch as seke her She preuēteth them y t desyre her y t she maye first shewe herself vnto thē Who so awaketh vnto her by tymes shal haue no greate trauayle for he shal fynde her syttinge ready at his dores To thinke vpon her is parfecte vnderstandinge who so watcheth for her shal be safe that soone For she goeth aboute sekynge soch as are mete for her sheweth her self cherefully vnto them in their goynges meteth them w t all diligēce For y e vnfained desyre of refourmacion is hir begynnynge to care for nurto r is loue and loue is the kepinge of hir lawes Now the kepinge of y e lawes is perfeccion an vncorrupte life an vncorrupte life maketh a man familier w t God And so the desyre of wyszdome ledeth to y e kingdome euerlastinge Yf yo r delyte be thē in royall seates cepters o ye kynges of the people set youre lust vpō wyszdome y t ye maye raigne for euer more O loue the light of wyszdome all ye y t be rulers of the people As for wyszdome what she is and how she came vp I wil tell you and will not hyde the misteries of God from you but wil seke her out from y e begynnynge of the natiuyte and brynge the knowlege of her in to light and wil not kepe back the trueth Nether will I haue to do w t cōsumynge envye for soch a man shal not be partaker of wiszdome But the multitude of the wyse is the welfare of the worlde and a wyse kynge is the vpholdinge of the people O receaue nourtoure then thorow my wordes and it shal do you good The VII Chap. I Myself also am a mortall man like as all other am come of y e earthy generaciō of him y t was first made in my mothers wōbe was I fashioned to be flesh In the tyme of ten monethes was I brought together in bloude thorow the sede of man the cōmodious appetite of slepe Whan I was borne I receaued like ayre as other men fell vpon the earth which is my nature crienge wepinge at the first as all other do I was wrapped in swadlinge clothes brought vp w t greate cares For there is no kinge y t hath had eny other begynnynge of byrth All men then haue one intraunce vnto life one goinge out in like maner Wherfore I desyred and vnderstandinge was geuē me I called the sprete of wyszdome came in to me I set more by her thē by kingdomes royall seates counted riches nothinge in cōparison of her As for precious stone I compared it not vnto her for all golde is but grauell vnto her syluer shal be counted but claye before hir sight I loued her aboue welfare beutie purposed to take her for my light for hir shyne can not be quenched All good thinges came to me w t her innumerable riches thorow hir hādes I was glad in thē all for this wyszdome wēte before me I knew not y t she is the mother of all good thinges Now as I myself lerned vnfaynedly so do I make other men partakers of her hyde her riches from no man for she is an infinite treasure vnto men which who so vse become partakers of the loue frendshipe of God and are accepted vnto him for the giftes of wyszdome God hath graunted me to talke wysely conueniētly to hādle the thinges y t he hath graciously lent me For it is he y t ledeth vnto wyszdome teacheth to vse wyszdome a right In his hāde are we o r wordes yee all o r wyszdome o r vnderstandinge knowlege of all o r workes For he hath geuē me y e true sciēce of these thinges so that I knowe how y e worlde was made the powers of y e elemētes y e begynnynge endinge myddest of y e tymes how the tymes alter how one goeth after another and how they are fulfilled y e course of the yeare the ordinaunces of the
is hatefull before God and men and all wickednes of the Heithen is to be abhorred Because of vnrighteous dealinge wronge blasphemies and diuerse disceate a realme shal be trāslated frō one people to another There is nothinge worse then a cuvetous man What prydest thou the o thou earth and aszshes There is not a more wicked thinge then to loue moneye And why soch one hath his soule to sell yet is he but fylthie dōge whyle he lyueth And though the phisician shewe his helpe neuer so longe yet in conclucion it goeth after this maner to daye a kynge tomorow deed For whan a man dyeth he is the heyre of serpentes beastes and wormes The begynnynge of mans pryde is to fall awaye from God and why his hert is gone from his maker for pryde is the origenall of all synne Who so taketh holde therof shal be fylled with cursinges and at y e last it shal ouer throwe him Therfore hath the LORDE brought the cōgregacions of the wicked to dishono r and destroyed them vnto the ende God hath destroyed the seates of proude prynces and sett vp the meke in their steade God hath wythered the rotes of the proude Heithen and planted the lowly amonge them God hath ouerthrowne the londes of the Heithen and destroyed them out of the grounde He hath caused them to wyther awaye he hath brought them to naught and made the memoriall of them to ceasse from out of the earth God hath destroyed the name of the proude and left the name of y e humble of mynde Pryde was not made for man nether wrothfulnes for mens children The sede of men that feareth God shal be brought to honoure but y e sede which transgresseth the commaundementes of y e LORDE shal be shamed He y t is the ruler amōge brethren is holdē in honoure amōge them and he regardeth soch as feare the LORDE The glory of the riche of the honorable and of the poore is the feare of God Despyse not thou the iust poore man and magnifie not y e rich vngodly Greate is the iudge and mightie in hono yet is there none greater then he y t feareth God Vnto y e seruaunt that is disceete shal the fre do seruyce He that is wyse and well nurtoured wyll not grudge whan he is refourmed an ignoraūt body shal not come to honoure Be not proude to do thy worke and dispare not in the tyme of aduersite Better is he y t laboureth and hath plenteousnes of all thinges then he y t is gorgious and wanteth bred My sonne kepe thy soule in mekenes and geue her hir due honoure Who shal iustifie him that synneth agaynst himself Who wil honoure him that dishonoureth his owne life The poore is honoured for his faithfulnes and trueth but y e rich is had in reputaciō because of his goodes He that ordreth himself honestly in pouerte how moch more shal he behaue himself honestly in riches And who so ordreth himself vnhonestly in riches how moch more shal he behaue himself vnhonestly in pouerte The XI Chapter THe wyszdome of him y t is brought lowe shal lift vp his heade and shal make him to sytt amonge greate mē Commende not a man in his bewtye nether despyse a man in his vtter appearaūce The Bey is but a small beast amonge the foules yet is hir frute exceadīge swete Be not proude of thy rayment and exalte not thyself in the daye of thy honoure for y e workes of the Hyest onely are wonderfull yee glorious secrete and vnknowne are his workes Many tyrauntes haue bene fayne to syt downe vpō the earth y e vnlickly hath worne y e crowne Many mightie mē haue bene brought lowe and the honorable haue bene delyuered in to other mens handes Condemne no man before thou haue tryed out the matter and whan thou hast made enquisicion then refourme righteously Geue no sentēce before thou hast herde the cause but first let men tell out their tayles Stryue not for a matter that toucheth not thyself and stonde not in the iudgment of synners My sonne medle not with many matters yf thou wylt be riche thou shalt not gett it and though thou rennest y e waye afore yet shalt thou not escape There is some mā that laboureth and the more he weerieth himself the lesse he hath Agayne some man is slouthfull hath nede of helpe wāteth strēgth and hath greate pouerte and Gods eye loketh vpon him to good setteth him vp from his lowe estate and lifteth vp his heade so that many men maruell at him and geue honoure vnto God Prosperite and aduersite life and death pouerte and riches come all of the LORDE Wyszdome nurtoure and knowlege of y e lawe are with God loue and y e wayes of good are with him Erroure and darcknes are made for synners and they that exalte them selues in euell waxe olde in euell The gift of God remayneth for the righteous and his good wyl shal geue prosperite for euer Some man is rich by lyuynge nygardly and y t is the porcion of his rewarde in that he sayeth now haue I gotten rest and now wyl I eate and drynke of my goodes myself alone And yet he considereth not that the tyme draweth nye y t he must leaue all these thinges vnto other men and dye himself Stonde thou fast in thy couenaunt and exercyse thy self therin and remayne in the worke vnto y e age Contynue not in the workes of synners but put thy trust in God and byde in thine estate for it is but an easy thīge in y e sight of God to make a poore man riche and that sodenly The blessinge of God haisteth to y e rewarde of the rightous and maketh his frutes soone to florish and prospere Saye not what helpeth it me and what shal I haue y e whyle Agayne saye not I haue ynough how can I wante Whan thou art in welfare forget not aduersite and whan it goeth not well with the haue a good hope that it shal be better For it is but a small thinge vnto God in the daye of death to rewarde euery mā acordinge to his wayes The aduersite of an houre maketh one to forgett all pleasure and whan a man dyeth his workes are discouered Prayse no body before his death for a man shal be knowne in his children Bringe not euery man in to thine house for the disceatfull layeth wayte dyuersly Like as a partrich in a maūde so is the hert of the proude and like as a spye that loketh vpon the fall of his neghbo For he turneth good vnto euell and slaundreth the chosen Of one sparck is made a greate fyre an vngodly mā layeth wayte for bloude Bewarre of the disceatfull for he ymagineth wicked thinges to bringe y t in to a perpetuall shame Yf thou takest an aleaūt vnto y e he shal destroye the in vnquietnes and dryue the
vnto death for the rewarde of God endureth for euer Before thou prayest prepare thy soule and be not as one y t tempteth God Thynke vpon the wrathfull indignacion that shal be at the ende and the houre of vēgeaunce whā HE shal turne awaie his face Whan thou hast ynough remembre the tyme of honger and whan thou art rych thynke vpon the tyme of pouerte and scarcenesse From the mornynge vntyll the euenynge the tyme is chaunged and all soch thynges are soone done in y e sight of God A wyse man feareth God in all thinges and in the dayes of transgression he kepeth him self from synne A discrete man hath pleasure in wyszdome and he that fyndeth her maketh moch of her They that haue had vnderstandinge haue dealt wysely in wordes haue vnderstonde the trueth and righteousnes and haue sought out wyse sentēces and iudgmentes Folowe not thy lustes but turne y e from thine owne will For yf thou geuest thy soule hir desyres it shal make thine enemies to laugh the to scorne Take not thy pleasure in greate volupteousnes medle not to moch withall Make not to greate cheare of the thinge that thou hast wonne by avauntage lest thou fall in to pouerte and haue nothinge in thy purse The XIX Chapter A Labourynge man that is geuen vnto dronckennes shall not be riche and he that maketh not moch of small thynges shal fall by litle and litle Wyne and women make wyse men rēnagates and put men of vnderstādinge to reprofe and he that accompanieth aduouterers shal become a wicked man Mothes and wormes shall haue him to heretage yee he shall be sett vp to a greater example and his soule shal be roted out of the nombre He that is haistie to geue credence is light mynded and doth agaynst himself Who so reioyseth in wickednes shal be punished he that hateth to be refourmed his life shal be shortened and he that abhorreth bablinge of wordes quencheth wickednes He that offendeth agaynst his owne soule shal repent it and he that reioyseth in wickednes shal be punyshed Rehearse not a wicked and churlish worde twyse and thou shalt not be hyndered Shew thy secretes nether to frende ner foo yf thou hast offended tell it not out For he shal herken vnto the and marck the and whan he fyndeth oportunyte he shall hate the. Yf thou hast herde a worde agaynst y e neghboure lett it be deed within the and be sure thou shalt haue no harme therby A foole trauaileth with a worde like as a woman that is payned with bearinge of childe Like as an arowe shott in a dogges thye so is a worde in a fooles hert Tell thy frende his faute lest he be ignoraunt and saye I haue not done it or yf he haue done it that he do it nomore Reproue thy neghboure that he kepe his tonge and yf he haue spokē that he saye it nomore Tell thy neghboure his faute for oft tymes an offence is made and geue not credēce to euery worde A man falleth somtyme with his tonge but not with his will For what is he y t hath not offended in his tonge Geue thy neghboure warnynge before thou threaten him and geue place vnto the lawe of the LORDE The feare of God is all wyszdome he that is a right wyse man kepeth the lawe As for the doctrine of wickednes it is no wyszdome and the prudence of synners is no good vnderstondinge it is but wickednesse and abhominacion a blasphemynge of wyszdome A symple man of small vnderstandinge that feareth God is better then one that hath moch wyszdome and transgresseth the lawe of the Hyest A craftye sotell man can be wyse but he is vnrighteous and with giftes he wraysteth the open and manyfest lawe A wicked man can behaue himself humbly and can douke with his heade and yet is he but a disceauer within He hydeth his face and disguyseth it because he shulde not be knowne he preuenteth the. And though he be so weake that he can do the no harme yet whan he maye fynde oportunyte he shall do some euell A man maye be knowne by his face and one that hath vnderstondinge maye be perceaued by the loke of his countenaunce A mans garment laughter goynge declare what he is The XX. Chapter SOme man reproueth his neghbo oft tymes but not in due season Agayne some man holdeth his tonge and he is wyse and discrete It is moch better to geue warnynge and to reproue then to beare euell will for he that knowlegeth him self openly shal be preserued from hurt and destruccion Like as whan a chamberlayne thorow desyre and lust defyleth a mayden euen so is it with him that vseth violence and vnrighteousnes in y e lawe O how good a thinge is it a man y t is reproued to shewe openly his repentaunce for so shalt thou escape wylfull synne Some man kepeth sylence and is founde wyse but he that is not ashamed what he sayeth is hatefull Some man holdeth his tonge because he hath not the vnderstandinge of the language and some man kepeth sylence waytinge a conuenyent tyme. A wyse man wyll holde his tonge tyll he se oportunyte but a wanten and an vndiscrete body shal regarde no tyme. He that vseth many wordes shal hurte his owne soule and he that taketh auctorite vpō him vnrighteously shal be hated Some man hath oft tymes prosperite in wicked thinges Agayne some man getteth moch and hath harme and losse There is some gift that is nothinge worth Againe there is some gift whose rewarde is dubble Some man getteth a fall for beynge to proude and some commeth to worshipe from lowe estate Some man bieth moch for a litle pryce and must paye for it seuen folde A wyse man with his wordes maketh him self to be loued but the fauours of fooles shal be poured out The gift of the vnwyse shal do the no good for his eyes are seuen folde He shal geue litle saye he gaue moch he openeth his mouth and crieth out as it were one that crieth out wyne To daye he lendeth tomorow he axeth it agayne and soch a man is to be hated The foole sayeth I haue no frende I haue no thanke for all my good dedes yee euen they that eate my bred speake no good of me O how oft and of how many shal he be laughed to scorne He taketh a more perlous fall by soch wordes then yf he fell vpon the grounde euen so shal the falles of wicked men come haistely In the mouth of him that is vntaught are many vnconuenient and vnmete wordes A wyse sentence shall not be alowed at the mouth of the foole for he speaketh it not in due season Some man synneth not because he hath not wherwithall and in his rest he shall be stynged Some man there is that destroyeth his owne soule with shame and for an vnwyse bodyes sake destroieth he it and with
of thy seruauntes acordinge to y e blessinge of Aaron ouer thy people that all they which dwell vpon earth maye knowe that thou art the LORDE the eternall God which is from euerlastinge The bely deuoureth all meates yet is one meate better then another Like as the tonge taisteth venyson so doth an hert of vnderstondinge marck false wordes A frowarde hert geueth heuynes but a man of experience lifteth him vp agayne The woman receaueth euery man yet is one daughter better then another A fayre wife reioyseth hir huszbande and a man loueth nothinge better Yf she be louynge vertuous withall then is not hir huszbande like other men He that hath gotten a vertuous woman hath a goodly possession she is vnto him an helpe and piler wher vpon he resteth Where no hedge is there the goodes are spoyled and where no houszwife is there y e frēdles mourneth Like as there is no credence geuen to a robber y t goeth from one cite to another So is not y e man beleued that hath no nest and must turne in where he maye abyde in the night The XXXVII Chapter EVery frende sayeth I wil be frendly vnto him also But there is some frende which is onely a frende in name Remayneth there not heuynes vnto death whan a companyon and frende is turned to an enemye O most wicked presumpcion Frō whence art thou spronge vp to couer the earth with falsede disceate There is some companyon which in prosperite reioyseth with his frēde but in the tyme of trouble he taketh parte agaynst him There is some cōpanyon that mourneth with his frende for the bely sake but whan trouble commeth he taketh holde of the shylde Forget not thy frende in thy mynde thynke vpon him in y i riches Euery counceler bryngeth forth his councell Neuertheles there is some y t counceleth but for his owne profit Bewarre of y e counceler be aduysed afore wherto thou wilt vse him for he wil geue coūcell for him self Lest he cast the lott vpon the saye vnto the Thy waye and purpose is good and afterwarde he stande agaynst the and loke what shal become of the. Axe no coūcell at him y t suspecketh y e for an enemie hyde y e councell from soch as hate ye. Axe no councell at a woman cōcernynge y e thinges y t she lōgeth for ner at a fearful fayntharted body in matters of warre or at a marchaunt how deare he wil cheape thy wares towarde his or at a byer of sellynge Or at an envyous man of thankesgeuynge Or at the vnmercifull of louynge kindnes Or at y e slouthfull of workinge Or at an hyrelynge which hath no house of profit or wealth An ydle body wolde not gladly heare speake of moch labo Take no soch folkes to coūcell but be diligēt to seke coūcel at a vertuous man y t feareth God soch one as thou knowest to be a keper of y e cōmaundemētes which hath a minde after thine owne minde is sory for y e whā thou stōblest And holde thy councell fast in thine hert for there is no man more faithful to kepe it then thou thy self For a mās mynde is somtyme more disposed to tell out then seuen watchmen that sytt aboue in an hye place lokynge aboute them And aboue all this praye the Hyest that he wil lede thy waye in faithfulnes trueth Before all thy workes axe councell first and or euer thou doest eny thinge be well aduysed There be foure thinges that declare a chaunged hert wherout there springeth euell good death life a masterfull tonge that bableth moch Some man is apte and well instructe in many thinges and yet very vnprofitable vnto himself Some man there is that can geue wyse and prudent councell and yet is he hated contynueth a begger for that grace is not geuē him of God to be accepted Another is robbed of all wiszdome yet is he wise vnto him self and the frute of vnderstōdinge is faithfull in his mouth A wyse man maketh his people wyse y e frutes of his wiszdome fayle not A wyse mā shal be plēteously blessed of God all they that se him shal speake good of him The life of man stondeth in y e nōbre of the dayes but the dayes of Israel are innumerable A wyse man shal opteyne faithfulnes credence amonge his people his name shal be perpetuall My sonne proue thy soule in thy life yf thou se eny euell thinge geue it not vnto her For all thinges are not profitable for all men nether hath euery soule pleasure in euery thinge Be not gredy in euery eatynge and be not to haistye vpō all meates For excesse of meates bryngeth siknes and glotony commeth at the last to an vnmeasurable heate Thorow glotony haue many one perished but he that dyeteth him self temperatly prolongeth his life The XXXVIII Chapter HOnoure the Phisician honoure him because of necessite God hath created him for of the Hyest commeth medecyne and he shal receaue giftes of the kynge The wiszdome of the phisician bryngeth him to greate worshipe in the sight of the greate men of this worlde he shal be honorably taken The LORDE hath created medecyne of the earth and he that is wyse wyl not abhorre it Was not y e bytter water made swete with a tre that men might lerne to knowe the vertue therof The LORDE hath geuen men wyszdome vnderstondinge y t he might be honoured in his wōderous workes With soch doth he heale men taketh awaye their paynes Of soch doth the Apotecary make a confeccion yet can no man perfourme all his workes For of y e LORDE commeth prosperous wealth ouer all y e earth My sonne despyse not this in thy sicknes but praye vnto the LORDE he shal make the whole Leaue of from synne ordre thy handes a right clēse thine hert from all wickednes Geue a swete sauoured offrynge y e fyne floure for a token of remembraunce make the offrynge fatt as one that geueth the first frutes geue rowme to the Phisician ▪ For y e LORDE hath created him let him not go from the for thou hast nede of him The houre maye come y t the seke maye be helped thorow them whan they praye vnto y e LORDE y t he maie recouer get health to lyue lōger He that synneth before his maker shall fall in to the handes of the Phisician My sonne brynge forth thy teares ouer the deed and begynne to mourne as yf thou haddest suffred greate harme thy self thē couer his body after a conuenyent maner despyse not his buryall Enforce thy self to wepe prouoke thy self to mourne make lamentacion expediently and y t a daye or two lest thou be euell spoken of then cōforte thy self because of the heuynes For of heuynes cōmeth death the heuynes of y e hert breaketh strength Heuynes
I and the father that hath sent me It is wrytten also in youre lawe that the testimony of two men is true I am one that beare wytnesse of my self And the father that sent me beareth wytnes of me also Then sayde they vnto him Where is thy father Iesus answered Ye nether knowe me ner yet my father Yf ye knewe me ye shulde knowe my father also These wordes spake Iesus vpon the Gods chest as he taught in the tēple And noman toke him for his houre was not yet come Then sayde Iesus agayne vnto them I go my waye and ye shal seke me and shal dye in youre synnes whither I go thither can not ye come Then sayde y e Iewes Wyl he kyll him self then that he sayeth whither I go thither can not ye come And he sayde vnto them Ye are from beneth I am from aboue Ye are of this worlde I am not of this worlde Therfore haue I sayde vnto you that ye shal dye in youre synnes For yf ye beleue not that I am he ye shal dye in youre synnes Then sayde they vnto him Who art thou then And Iesus sayde vnto thē Euē the very same thinge that I saye vnto you I haue many thinges to saye and to iudge of you But he that sent me is true and loke what I haue herde of him that speake I before the worlde Howbeit they vnderstode not that he spake of the father Then sayde Iesus vnto them Whan ye haue lift vp an hye the sonne of man then shal ye knowe that I am he and that I do nothinge of my self but as my father hath taught me euen so I speake And he that sent me is with me The father leaueth me not alone for I do alwaie that pleaseth him Whan he thus spake many beleued on him Then sayde Iesus vnto the Iewes that beleued on him Yf ye contynue in my worde then are ye my very disciples and ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shal make you fre Then answered they him We are Abrahams sede we were neuer bonde to eny man how sayest thou then Ye shal be fre Iesus answered them and sayde Verely verely I saye vnto you Who so euer doth synne is the seruaunt of synne As for the seruaunt he abydeth not in the house for euer but the sonne abydeth euer Yf the sonne therfore make you fre then are ye fre in dede I knowe that ye are Abrahams sede but ye seke to kyll me For my worde taketh not amonge you I speake that I haue sene of my father ye do that ye haue sene of youre father They answered and sayde vnto him Abraham is oure father Iesus sayde vnto them Yf ye were Abrahams children ye wolde do the dedes of Abraham But now ye go aboute to kyll me a man that haue tolde you the trueth which I haue herde of God this dyd not Abraham Ye do the dedes of youre father Then sayde they vnto him We are not borne of fornicacion we haue one father euen God Iesus sayde vnto them Yf God were youre father then wolde ye loue me For I am proceaded forth and come from God For I am not come of my self but he hath sent me Why knowe ye not thē my speach Euē because ye can not abyde the hearinge of my worde Ye are of the father the deuell and after the lustes of youre father wyl ye do The same was a murthurer from the begynnynge and abode not in the trueth for the trueth is not in him Whan he speaketh a lye then speaketh he of his awne for he is a lyar and a father of the same But because I saye the trueth ye beleue me not Which of you can rebuke me of one synne Yf I saye the trueth why do ye not beleue me He that is of God heareth Gods worde Therfore heare ye not because ye are not of God Then answered the Iewes and sayde vnto him Saye we not right that thou art a Samaritane and hast the deuell Iesus answered I haue no deuell but I honoure my father and ye haue dishonoured me I seke not myne awne prayse but there is one that seketh it and iudgeth Verely verely I saye vnto you Yf eny man kepe my worde he shal neuer se death Then sayde the Iewes vnto him Now knowe me that thou hast the deuell Abraham is deed and the prophetes and thou sayest Yf eny mā kepe my worde he shal neuer taist of death Art thou greater then oure father Abraham which is deed and the prophetes are deed Whō makest thou thy self Iesus answered Yf I prayse my self then is my prayse nothinge But it is my father that prayseth me which ye saye is youre God and ye knowe hī not but I knowe him And yf I shulde saye I knowe him not ▪ I shulde be a lyar like vnto you But I knowe him and kepe his worde Abraham youre father was glad that he shulde se my daye And he sawe it and reioysed Then sayde the Iewes vnto him Thou art not yet fiftie yeare olde and hast thou sene Abraham Iesus sayde vnto thē Verely verely I saye vnto you Or euer Abraham was I am Then toke they vp stones to cast at him But Iesus hyd himself and wente out of the temple The IX Chapter ANd Iesus passed by and sawe a man that was borne blynde And his disciples axed him sayde Master Who hath synned this or his elders that he was borne blynde Iesus answered Nether hath this synned ner his elders but that y e workes of God shulde be shewed on him I must worke the workes of him that hath sent me whyle it is daye The night commeth whan no man can worke As longe as I am in the worlde I am the light of the worlde Whan he had thus sayde he spat on the grounde and made claye of the spetle and rubbed the claye on the eyes of the blynde and sayde vnto him Go thy waye to the pole of Syloha which is interpretated sent and wash the. Then wēte he his waye and waszhed him and came seynge The neghbours and they that had sene him before that he was a begger sayde Is not this he that sat and begged Some sayde It is he Other sayde he is like him But he himself sayde I am euen he Then sayde they vnto him How are thine eyes opened He answered and sayde The mā that is called Iesus made claye and anoynted myne eyes and sayde Go thy waye to the pole of Siloha and wash the. I wente my waye washed me and receaued my sight Then sayde they vnto him Where is he He sayde I can not tell Then brought they vnto the pharises him that a litle before was blynde It was the Sabbath whan Iesus made the claye and opened his eyes Then agayne the Pharises also axed him how he had receaued his sight He sayde vnto thē
wash my fete Iesus answered him Yf I wash y e not thou shalt haue no parte with me Symon Peter sayde vnto him LORDE not the fete onely but the handes also and the heade Iesus sayde vnto him He that is waszheÌ„ nedeth not saue to washe y e fete but is cleane euery whytt And ye are cleane but not all For he knewe his betrayer therfore sayde he ye are not all cleane Now whan he had waszhen their fete and taken his clothes he sat him downe agayne and sayde vnto theÌ„ Wote ye what I haue done vnto you Ye call me master and LORDE and ye saye right therin for so I am Yf I then youre LORDE and master haue waszhen youre fete ye ought also to wash one anothers fete I haue geueÌ„ you an ensample that ye shulde do as I haue done vnto you Verely verely I saye vnto you the seruaunt is not greater then his lorde nether is the Apostell greater then he that sent him Yf ye knowe these thinges blessed are ye yf ye do them I speake not of you all I knowe whom I haue chosen but that the scripture might be fulfilled He y t eateth my bred hath lift vp his hele against me I tell it you now before it come that whan it is come to passe ye maye beleue that I am he Verely verely I saye vnto you He that receaueth whom so euer I sende receaueth me and he that receaueth me receaueth him that sent me Whan Iesus had thus sayde he was heuy in sprete and testified and sayde Verely verely I saye vnto you One amonge you shal betraye me Then the disciples loked one vpon another were in doute of whom he spake But there was one amoÌ„ge his disciples that leaned at the table on Iesus bosome whoÌ„ Iesus loued to him beckened Symon Peter that he shulde axe who it was of whom he spake For the same leaued vpoÌ„ Iesus brest and sayde vnto him LORDE who is it Iesus answered It is he vnto whom I dyppe the soppe geue it And he dypte in the soppe and gaue it vnto Iudas Iscarioth Symons sonne And after y e soppe the deuell entred in to him Then sayde Iesus vnto him That thou boest do quyckly But y e same wyst no man at the table for what intent he sayde it vnto him Some thought for so moch as Iudas had the bagge that Iesus had sayde vnto him Bye that is necessary for vs agaynst the feast Or that he shulde geue some thinge vnto the poore Whan he had receaued the soppe he wente out immediatly and it was night Whan he was gone forth Iesus sayde Now is the sonne of maÌ„ glorified and God is glorified in him Yf God be glorified in him theÌ„ shal god glorifie him also in hiÌ„self straight waye shal he glorifye him Deare childreÌ„ I am yet a litle whyle with you Ye shal seke me and as I sayde vnto y e Iewes whither I go thither can ye not come And now I saye vnto you A new coÌ„maundemeÌ„t geue I you that ye loue together as I haue loued you y t euen so ye loue one another By this shal euery man knowe that ye are my disciples yf ye haue loue one to another Symon Peter sayde vnto him LORDE whither goest thou Iesus answered him Whither I go thou canst not folowe me now but thou halt folowe me herafter Peter sayde vnto him LORDE why caÌ„not I folowe the â—ow I wil geue my life for y t sake Iesus answered him Wilt thou geue thy life for my sake Verely verely I saye vnto ye. The cock shal not crowe tyll thou haue denyed me thryse The XIIII Chapter ANd he sayde vnto his disciples Let not youre hert be afrayed Yf ye beleue on God theÌ„ beleue also on me In my fathers house are many dwellinges Yf it were not so I wolde haue tolde you I go to prepare the place for you And though I go to prepare the place for you yet wil I come agayne and receaue you vnto myself y t ye maye be where I am And whither I go ye knowe and the waye knowe ye also Thomas sayde vnto him LORDE we knowe not whither thou goest how can we knowe the waye Iesus sayde vnto him I am the waye and the trueth and the life Noman coÌ„meth to the father but by me Yf ye knewe me ye knewe my father also And froÌ„ heÌ„ce forth ye knowe hiÌ„ haue sene him Philippe sayde vnto him LORDE shewe vs the father and it sufficeth vs. Iesus sayde vnto him Thus longe am I with you and hast thou not knowne me Philippe he that seyth me seyth the father And how sayest thou then Shewe vs the father Beleuest thou not that I am in the father and that y e father is in me The wordes that I speake vnto you those speake not I of my self but the father that dwelleth in me he doth the workes Beleue me that I am in the father and that y e father is in me Or els beleue me at the leest for the workes sake Verely verely I saye vnto you He that beleueth on me shal do the workes that I do and shal do greater then these for I go to the father And what soeuer ye axe y e father in my name that wyl I do that the father maye be praysed in the sonne Yf ye axe eny thinge in my name I wyl do it Yf ye loue me kepe my commaundementes And I wyl praye the father and he shal geue you another comforter that he maye byde w t you for euer euen y e sprete of trueth whom y e worlde can not receaue for it seyth him not nether doth it knowe him but ye knowe him for he abydeth w t you shal be in you I wil not leaue you coÌ„fortles I come vnto you It is yet a litle whyle theÌ„ shal the worlde se me nomore but ye shal se me for I lyue and ye shal lyue also In y t daye shal ye knowe that I am in the father and ye in me and I in you He that hath my coÌ„maundementes and kepeth them the same is he that loueth me and he that loneth me shal be loued of my father I wyl loue him and wyl shewe myne owne self vnto him Iudas sayde vnto hiÌ„ not that Iscarioth LORDE What is the cause theÌ„ that thou wilt shewe thy self vnto vs and not vnto the worlde Iesus answered and sayde vnto him He that loueth me wyl kepe my worde and my father wyl loue him and we wyl come vnto him and wyll make oure dwellynge with him But he that loueth me not kepeth not my sayenges And the worde that ye heare is not myne but the fathers which hath sent me This haue I spoken vnto you whyle I was with you But that comforter euen y e holy goost whoÌ„ my father shal sende in
another I holde of Apollo are ye not thē fleshlye What is Paul What is ▪ Apollo Euē mynisters are they by whom ye are come to the beleue and the same acordinge as the LORDE hath geuen vnto euery man I haue planted Apollo hath watred but God hath geuen the increace So then nether is he that planteth eny thinge nether he that watreth but God which geueth the increace As for him that planteth and he that watreth y e one is as the other but yet shal euery one receaue his rewarde acordinge to his laboure For we are Gods labourers ye are Gods huszbandry ye are Gods buyldinge Acordinge to the grace of God which is geuen vnto me as a wyse buylder haue I layed the foundacion but another buyldeth theron Yet let euery man take hede how he buyldeth theron For other foūdacion can noman laye then that which is layed the which is Iesus Christ. But yf enyman buylde vpon this foundacion golde syluer precious stones tymber haye stobble euery mās worke shal be shewed For the daye of the LORDE shal declare it which shal be shewed with fyre and the fyre shal trye euery mās worke what it is Yf eny mans worke that he hath buylde theron abyde he shal receaue a rewarde Yf eny mans worke burne he shal suffre losse but he shal be saued himselfe neuertheles as thorow fyre Knowe ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the sprete of God dwelleth in you Yf eny man defyle the tēple of God him shal God destroye For the temple of God is holy which ye are Let no mā disceaue himselfe Yf eny man thinke himselfe wyse amōge you let him become a foole in this worlde that he maye be wyse For the wyszdome off this worlde is foolishnes with God For it is wrytten He compaseth the wyse in their craftynesse And agayne The LORDE knoweth the thoughtes of the wyse that they are vayne Therfore let no man reioyse in men For all is youres whether it be Paul or Apollo whether it be Cephas or ▪ the worlde whether it be life or death whether it be presente or for to come All is youres but ye are Christes and Christ is Gods The IIII. Chapter LEt euery man this wyse esteme vs euen for the mynisters of Christ and stewardes of the secretes of God Now is there no more requyred of the stewardes then that they be founde faithfull It is but a small thinge vnto me that I shulde be iudged of you or of mans daye nether iudge I myne awne selfe I knowe noughte by my selfe yet am I not therby iustified It is the LORDE that iudgeth me Therfore iudge ye nothinge before y e tyme vntyll the LORDE come which shal brynge it to lighte that is hyd in darknesse and opē the councels of y e hertes and thē shal euery one haue prayse of God These thinges brethren haue I described in myne awne preson in Apollos for youre sakes that ye mighte lerne by vs that noman counte hygher of him self then aboue is wrytten that one be not puft vp agaynst another for eny mans cause For who preferreth the What hast thou that thou hast not receaued Yf thou hast receaued it why makest thou thē thy boost as though thou haddest not receaued it Now ye are full now ye are made riche ye raigne without vs and wolde God ye dyd raigne that we might raigne with you Me thynketh that God hath set forth vs Apostles for the lowest off all euen as those that are appoynted vnto death For we are agasynge stocke vnto y e worlde and to the angels and vnto men We are fooles for Christes sake but ye are wyse in Christ We weake but ye strōge Ye honorable but we despysed Euen vnto this daye we hōger and thyrst and are naked and are boffetted with fystes and haue no certayne dwellinge place and laboure and worke with oure awne handes We are reuyled and yet we blesse we are persecuted and suffre it We are euell spoken of and we praye We are become as it were the very outswepinges of y e worlde yee the of scowringe of all men vnto this tyme. I wryte not this to shame you but as my deare childrē I warne you For though ye haue ten thousande instructours in Christ yet haue ye not many fathers For I haue begotten you in Christ Iesu thorow y e Gospell Wherfore I exhorte you be ye my folowers For this cause haue I sent vnto you Timotheus which is my deare sonne and faithfull in the LORDE that he maye put you in remembraunce of my wayes which are in Christ euē as I teach euery where in all congregacions Some are puft vp as though I wolde come nomore at you But I wil come to you shortly yf the LORDE wyl and wyl knowe not the wordes of thē that are puft vp but y e power For the kyngdome of God is not ī wordes but in power What wil ye Shal I come vnto you w t the rodd or with loue and the sprete of mekenesse The V. Chapter THere goeth a commen reporte that there is whordome amōge you and soch whordome as is not once named amōge the Heythen that one shulde haue his fathers wife And ye are puft vp and haue not rather sorowed that he which hath done this dede mighte be put frō amōge you For I verely as absent in body but present in sprete haue determyned allready as though I were present cōcernynge him that hath done this dede in y e name of oure LORDE Iesus Christ whā ye are gathered together with my sprete and with the power of oure LORDE Iesus Christ to delyuer him vnto Sathan for the destruccion of the flesh that the sprete maye be saued in the daye of the LORDE Iesus You re reioysinge is not good Knowe ye not that a litle leuen sowereth the whole lompe of dowe Pourge out therfore the olde leuen that ye maye be new dowe like as ye are swete bred For we also haue an Easter lambe which is Christ that is offred for vs. Wherfore let vs kepe Easter not in y e olde leuen ner in the leuen of maliciousnes and wickednes but in the swete bred of purenesse and of the trueth I wrote vnto you in the Epistle that ye shulde haue nothinge to do with whoremōgers that meant I not at all of the whoremongers of this worlde ether of the couetous or of extorcioners or of thē that worshippe ymages for then must ye nedes haue gone out of the worlde But now haue I wryttē vnto you y t ye shulde haue nothinge to do with them Namely yf there be eny man that is called a brother and is an whoremonger or couetous or a worshipper of ymages ether a raylar or a dronkarde or an extorcioner with soch shal ye not eate For what haue I to do to
you preach another Iesus whom we haue not preached or yf ye receaue another sprete y t ye haue not receaued or another Gospell which ye haue not accepted ye might right well haue bene cōtent For I suppose that I am no lesse thē the hye Apostles are And though I be rude in speakynge yet am I not rude in knowlege Howbeit amōge you I am knowne to the vttemost Or dyd I synne therin because I submytted my selfe that ye mighte be exalted For I preached vnto you the Gospell of God frely and robbed other cōgregacions and toke wages of thē to preach vnto you And whan I was present with you and had nede I was greuous to no man for y t which was lackynge vnto me the brethren which came fro Macedonia suppleed And in all thinges I kepte myselfe so y t I shulde not be greuous to you so wyl I kepe my selfe As surely as the trueth of Christ is in me this reioysinge shal not be taken fro me in the regions of Achaia Wherfore because I shulde not loue you God knoweth Neuertheles what I do and wyl do that do I to cut awaye occasion from thē which seke occasion that they mighte boast thē selues to be like vnto vs. For soch false Apostles disceatfull workers fashion them selues like vnto the Apostles of Christ. And that is no maruell for Sathan himselfe is chaunged into y e fashion of an angell of light Therfore is it no greate thinge though his my misters fashion them selues as though they were the preachers of righteousnes whose ende shal be acordinge to their dedes I saye agayne lest eny man thynke that I am folish or els take me euen now as a fole y t I maye boast myselfe a litle also That I speake now that speake I not after the LORDE but as it were in folishnes whyle we are now come to boastinge Seynge that many boaste them selues after y e flesh I wil boast my selfe also For ye suffre foles gladly in so moch as ye youre selues are wyse For ye suffre euen yf a man brynge you in to bondage yf a man put you to dishonesty yf a man take ought frō you yf a man exalte himselfe ouer you yf a man smyte you on the face I speake concernynge rebuke as though we were weake Wherin so euer now eny man darre be bolde I speake folishly therin darre I be bolde also They are Hebrues so am I. They are Israelites euen so am I. They are the sede of Abraham so am I. They are the mynisters of Christ I speake as a fole I am more in laboures more abūdaunt in strypes aboue measure in presonmentes more plenteously in death oft Of the Iewes receaued I fyue tymes fortye strypes one lesse Thryse was I beaten with roddes I was once stoned I suffred thryse shypwracke nighte and daye haue I bene in the depe of the see I haue oft iourneyed I haue bene oft in parels of waters in parels amonge murthurers in parels amonge the Iewes in parels amonge the Heythen in parels in cities in parels in the wylderners in parels vpon the See in parels amonge false brethrē in laboure trauayle in moch watchinges in honger and thyrst in moch fastinges in colde and nakednesse Besyde those thynges which are outwarde namely my daylie combraunce my daylie care for all cōgregacions Who is weake and I be not weake Who is offended I burne not Yf I must nedes make my boast I wil boast my selfe of myne infirmyte God y e father of oure LORDE Iesus Christ which is blessed for euer knoweth that I lye not At Damascon the gouernoure of y e people vnder kynge Aretas kepte y e cite of the Damascenes wolde haue taken me and at a wyndowe was I let downe in a basket thorow the wall so escaped his handes The XII Chapter IT profiteth me nothinge no doute to boaste Neuertheles I wil come to y e visions and reuelacions off the LORDE I knowe a man in Christ aboue fourtene yeares a goo whether he was in y e body I can not tell or whether he was out of the body I can not tell God knoweth the same was taken vp in to the thirde heauen and I knowe the same man whether he was in y e body or out of the body I can not tell God knoweth how that he was takē vp in to Paradise and herde wordes not to be spoken which no man can vtter Here of will I boast but of my selfe wil I make no boast excepte it be of myne infirmyties And though I wolde boast myself I dyd not foolishly for I wolde saye the trueth But I refrayne my selfe lest eny mā shulde thinke of me aboue y t he seyth in me or heareth of me And lest I shulde exalte my selfe out of measure because of the hye reuelacions there is a warnynge geuen vnto my flesh euen y e messaunger of Satan to buffet me that I shulde not exalte my selfe out off measure for y e which I besoughte the LORDE thryse that it mighte departe fro me And he sayde vnto me My grace is sufficiēt for the. For my strength is made perfecte thorow weaknes Very glad therfore wil I reioyse in my weaknesses that the strength of Christ maye dwell in me Therfore am I contente in infirmities in rebukes in necessities in persecucions in anguyszhes for Christes sake for whā I am weake thē am I strōge I am become a fole ī boastinge my selfe Ye haue cōpelled me For I oughte to be cōmended of you in so moch as I am in nothinge inferior to y e hye Apostles Though I be nothinge yet are y e tokens of an Apostles wrought amōge you with all paciēce with signes with wōders with mightie dedes For what is it wherin ye are inferiours to the other congregacions excepte it be y t I haue not bene greuous vnto you Forgeue me this wrōge Beholde I am ready the thirde tyme to come vnto you and wyl not be chargeable vnto you For I seke not youres but you For y e childrē ought not to gather treasure for the elders but the elders for the children I wil very gladly bestowe and wyl be bestowed for youre soules though y e more I loue you the lesse am I loue◠agayne But let it be so that I greued you not neuertheles for so moch as I was craftye I toke you w t gyle Haue I defrauded you by eny of thē whō I sent vnto you I desyred Titus with him I sent a brother dyd Titus defraude you Haue we not walked in one sprete Wēte we not in like fotesteppes Agayne thynke ye y t we excuse oure selues We speake in Christ in the sighte off God But all this dearly beloued is done for yo r edifyenge For I feare lest whan I come I shal not fynde you soch as I wolde and lest ye shal fynde me soch as ye wolde not lest
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