William Tyndale (Pentateuch, Jonah &NT)

A Prologe vpon the thre epistles of S. Iohn.

This fyrst epistle of saynt Iohn contayneth the doctryne of a verye apostle of Christ and ought of ryght to folowe his Gospell. For as in his epistle he setteth oute the true fayth / and teacheth by it onlye all m to be saued and restored vnto the fauoure of God agayne: eu so here in this pistle he goeth agaynst them that boste them selues of fayth & yet contynew withoute good workes and teacheth manye wayes that where true fayth is / there the workes tarye not behinde / and contrarye that where the workes folowe not / there is no true fayth but a false ymagynacion and vtter darcknes.

And he wryteth sore agaynst a certen secte of heretyckes which then begne to denye that Christ was come in the flesshe / and calleth th verye Antechristes. Which secte goeth now in hir full swynge. For though they denye not openlye with the mouth that Christ is come in the flesshe: yet they denye it in þe harte with their doctryne and lyuynge. For he that wyll be iustified and saued thorow his awne workes / the same doth as moche as he þe denyeth Christ to become in the flesshe seinge that Christ came onlye therfore in the flesshe / that he shuld iustifie vs / or purchase vs pardon of oure synnes / bringe vs into the fauoure of God agayne and make vs heyres of eternall lyfe / with his workes onlye & with his bloudeshedinge / with oute and before all oure workes.

So fyghteth this pistle both agaynst them that wilbe saued by their awne good workes / & also agaynst them that wilbe saued by a fayth


that hath no lust to do workes at all / & kepeth vs in the myddiewaye / that we beleue in Christ to be saued by his workes onlye / & then to knowe that it is oure dutie for that kindnes / to prepare oureselues to do the cobar.gifmaundmt of god / & to loue euery man his neyboure as Christ loued him / sekinge with oure awne workes Godes honoure and oure neybours welthe onlye / and trustinge for eternall lyfe and for all that God hath promysed vs for Christes sake.

The two last pistles though they be shorte / yet are goodlye ensamples of loue and fayth & do sauoure of the spirite of a true Apostle.