Bible (Early Wycliffe)/Prologue on þe Caþolic epiſtles

Wycliffe's Bible
Prologue on þe Caþolic epiſtles
2387806Wycliffe's Bible — Prologue on þe Caþolic epiſtles

Not þe ſame ordre is at Greekis, þat holly ſauouren, and þe riȝte feiþ folewen, of þe ſeuene epiſtolis þat ben clepid canonyſid, as in Latyn bokys. It is founden ſoþly, þat Petir is þe firſte in noumbre of apoſtolis, alſo his epiſtolis ſhulden ben firſt in þe ordre of oþere; but as þe euangeliſtis ſum tym to þe lyne of treuþe now we han correctid, ſo þeſe epiſtolis to þer owne ordre, God helpende, we han ȝolden. Þe firſte ſoþli of hem is of Jamys, two of Petir, þre of Jon, oen of Jude. Þe whiche, if as of hem þei weren mad, ſo alſo of interpretouris, or vndoeris, in to Latyn ſpeche þei were turned treuly, neiþer doute to men redende þei ſhulde make, neiþer diuerſete of wordes ſhulde enpugne þemſelf; in þat place, nameli, where in þe onhed of þe Trynyte, in þe firſte epiſtil of John wee reden ſet, in whiche alſo wee finden myche þing to ben errid of vntrewe tranſlatouris, potende hem þe names onli of þre, of watir, of blod, and of þe ſpirit, in þilke her making, and leuende þe witneſſe of þe Fadir, and of þe Sone, and of þe Holi Goſt, in þe whiche moſt boþe þe feiþ of riȝt beleue is ſtrengþid, and oen ſubſtaunce of þe Godhed of þe Fadir, and Sone, and Holi Goſt is proued. In oþere epiſtolis ſoþly, hou myche fro oure oþeris making diſcordiþ, I leue to þe prudence of þe redere. But þou, maiden of Criſt, Euſtache, whil of me þe treuþe of ſcripture biſili þou enqueriſt, myn eelde ſum what þou poteſt to þe teeþ of enuyous men to be gnawen; þe whiche pronouncen me to be a falſere, and a diſtroȝere, or apeirere, of holi ſcripturis. But I in ſuch werk neiþer drede þe enuye of myn enemys, neiþer I will denyen þe treuþe of ſcripture to men aſkende.