The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. IV.

[verse 1] Moost dere britheren, nyle ȝe bileue to ech spirit, but preue ȝe spiritis [the spiritis O.] , if thei ben of God; for many false prophetis wenten out in to the world. [verse 2] In this thing the spirit of God is knowun; ech spirit that knowlechith that Jhesu Crist [verse 3] hath come in fleisch, is of God; and ech spirit that fordoith [forbedith ghk.] Jhesu, is not of God. And this is antecrist, of whom ȝe herden [han herd I.] , that he cometh; and riȝt now he is in the world. [verse 4] Ȝe, litle sones, ben of God, and ȝe han ouercome hym; for he that is in ȝou is more, than he that is in the world. [verse 5] Thei ben of the world, therfor thei speken of the world, and the world herith hem. [verse 6] We ben of God; he that knowith God, herith vs; he that is not of God, herith not vs. In this thing we knowen the spirit of treuthe, and the spirit of errour. [verse 7] Moost dere britheren, loue we [ȝe EQgk.] togidere, for charite is of God; and ech that loueth his brother, is borun of God, and knowith God. [verse 8] He that loueth not, knowith not God; for God is charite. [verse 9] In this thing the charite of God apperide in vs, for God sente hise oon bigetun sone in to the world, that we lyue bi hym. [verse 10] In this thing is charite, not as we hadden loued God, but for he firste louede vs, and sente hise sone forȝyuenesse for oure synnes. [verse 11] Ȝe moost dere britheren, if God louede vs, we owen to loue ech other. [verse 12] No man say euer God; if we louen to|gidre,

God dwellith in vs, and the charite of hym is perfit in vs. [verse 13] In this thing we knowen, that we dwellen in hym, and he in vs; for of his spirit he ȝaf to vs. [verse 14] And we sayen, and witnessen, that the fadir sente his sone sauyour of the world. [verse 15] Who euer knowlechith, that Jhesu is the sone of God, God dwellith in him, and he in God. [verse 16] And we han knowun, and bileuen to the charite, that God hath in vs. God is charite, and he that dwellith in charite, dwellith in God, and God in hym. [verse 17] In this thing is the perfit charite of God with vs, that we haue trist in the dai of dom; for as he is [as he is; in heuene, and doth good fro heuene to iust men and vniust men. and we ben in this world; that is, we louen bothe freendis and enemyes for his loue, as he co|maundith in V. C^o. of Matheu. Dreede is, etc.; that is, seruile dreede is not in perfit charite. dreede hath peyne; that is, peyne is due to seruile dreede, for it makith to eschewe synne, oonly that it be not punschid, not for the abomy|nacioun of synne, neither to eschewe the offence of God. Lire here. v.] , also we ben in this world. [verse 18] Drede is not in charite, but perfit charite puttith out drede; for drede hath peyne. But he that dredith, is not perfit in charite. [verse 19] Therfor loue we God, for he louede vs bifore. [verse 20] If ony man seith, that [Om. h.] `Y loue [he loueth EQC sec. m. he loue C pr. m.] God, and hatith his brother, he is a liere. For he that loueth not his brothir, which [whom R.] he seeth, hou mai he loue God, whom [which Q.] he seeth not? [verse 21] And we han this com|aundement of God, that he that loueth God, loue also his brothir.