Matthew(i)
1 There were false prophetes among the people, euen as there shalbe false teachers amonge you, which priuilie shal bringe in damnable sectes, euen denyenge the Lorde that hath bought them and bringe vpon them selues swyft dampnacion,
2 and many shal folowe theyr damnable wayes, by whiche the way of trueth shalbe euyl spoken of,
3 and thorowe couetousnes shal they wyth fayned wordes make marchaundyse of you, whose iudgement is not farre of, and theyr dampnacion slepeth not.
4 For yf God spared not the aungels that sinned but cast them downe into hell, and deliuered them into chayns of darckenes, to be kept vnto iudgement,
5 neyther spared the olde worlde, but saued Noe the ryght preacher of rightuousnes, and brought in the floud vpon the worlde of the vngodly,
6 and turned the cyties of Sodom and Gomor into ashes, ouerthrowe them, dampned them, and made on them an ensample vnto all that after shoulde lyue vngodly.
7 And iust Lot vexed with the vnclenly conuersacyon of the wicked, deliuered he.
8 For he beinge rightuouse and dwellinge amonge them, in seinge and hearinge, vexed his rightuouse soule from daye to daye wyth theyr vnlawfull dedes.
9 The Lorde knoweth howe to deliuer the Godlye out of temptacion, and howe to reserue the vniuste vnto the daye of iudgement for to be punyshed,
10 namely them that walke after the fleshe in the luste of vncleanes, and despyse the rulars. Presumpteous are they, & stubborne and feare not to speake euyl of them that are in authoritie.
11 When the angels which are greater both in power and might, receiue not of the Lorde railing iudgement agaynste them.
12 But these as brute beastes naturallye made to be taken and destroyed, speake euyll of that they knowe not, and shal perishe thorow their owne destruccion,
13 and receiue the reward of vnrightuousnes. They count it pleasure to lyue deliciously for a season. Spottes they are and filthines, liuinge at pleasure, and in disceiueable waies feastinge with you,
14 hauinge eyes full of aduoutrye, and that can not cease to synne, begilinge vnstable soules. Hertes they haue exercised with couetousues. They are cursed children,
15 and haue forsaken the ryght waye, and are gone astray folowing the waye of Balam the sonne of Bosor, whiche loued the rewarde of vnrightuousnes,
16 but was rebuked of hys iniquitye. The tame and dome beaste, speakinge with mannes voice, forbade the folishnes of the Prophete.
17 These are welles wythout water, & cloudes caried about of a tempest, to whom the miste of darkenes is reserued for euer.
18 For when they haue spoken the swellinge wordes of vanitie, they begyle with wantonnes thorowe the lustes of the fleshe, them that were cleane escaped, but nowe are wrapped in errours.
19 They promis them libertie, and are them selues the bonde seruauntes of corrupcyon. For of whomsoeuer a man is ouer come, vnto the same is he in bondage.
20 For yf they, after they haue escaped from the fylthines of the worlde thorowe the knowledge yf the Lord and of the sauiour Iesus Christe, are yet tangled agayne therin and ouercome, then is the latter ende worsse wyth them then the beginninge.
21 For it had bene better for them not haue knowen the way of rightuousnes then after they haue knowen it to turne from the commaundementes geuen vnto them.
22 It is happened to them accordinge to the true prouerbe: The dogge is turned to his vomet againe, and the sowe that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.