5 chains of darkness, delivered them up to be kept for judgment-and if he spared not the old world, but preserved eight persons, including Noah, the proclaimer of righteousness, when he brought a deluge on the world of ungodly men6 and when he condemned to destruction the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes, and making, them a 7 publick example to future impious men, delivered just Lot, who was troubled at the lascivious conduct of those licentious 8 men, (for at the sight and report, that righteous man who

dwelt among them was daily tormented in soul by their un9 lawful deeds) the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly from

temptation, and to reserve the wicked to the day of judg10 ment, to be punished; and more especially them who go after flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, and despise authority. Being audacious and self sufficient they tremble not when they re11 vile glories; whereas angels who are greater in might and power, do not bring against them a railing accusation before 12 the Lord. But these, like irrational brute beasts, made for capture and destruction, railing at what they are ignorant of, 13 shall perish with their own destruction. Receiving wages of iniquity, esteeming riot by day a pleasure; being spots and 14 blemishes; rioting by their deceits; banquetting with you; having eyes full of adultery and unceasing sin; ensnaring un15 stable souls; having a heart practised in greediness; an ex, ecrable race; having forsaken the right road they have gone quite astray, following the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity, and was convicted of his trans16 gression. (A dumb beast, speaking with a human voice, re17 strained the madness of the prophet.) They are wells without water; clouds impelled by a whirlwind, for whom is reserved

in the bowels of the earth. Here then the apostle, rectifying the common mistake of Tartarus being in the bowels of the earth; and recurring to the true sense of the word, namely, the darkness, which bounds the created system, and which when applied to spirits must be interpreted spiritually, intimates by the word TapTapwoo that God cast the apostate angels out of his presence into that blackness of darkness (Jude, ver. 13), where they are excluded from the glori ous light of his countenance,

18 the gloom of everlasting darkness. For uttering, with a solemn tone, swelling words of vanity, they by the lusts of the flesh, by acts of lasciviousness, ensnare them who are indeed flying 19 from those conversant in error; promising them liberty while

they themselves are slaves to corruption; for by whatever 20 one is subdued, by that he is enslaved. For if after fleeing from the pollutions of the world by an acknowledgment of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, any are again entangled and overcome by them, the last state of such persons is worse 21 than the first. For it had been better for them not to have

known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to 22 turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. But

it hath happened to them according to the true proverb, "The dog is returned to his vomit, and the washed hog to its wallowing slough."

III. This, my beloved, is now the second letter which I am 2 writing, with which I stir up your sincere mind by way of remembrance, that you may remember the predictions* of the holy prophets, and the injunction of us the apostles of the 3 Lord and Saviour; knowing this first, that in the last days 4 scoffers will come, walking after their own desires, and say

ing, "Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of 5 the creation." For this they wilfully forget, that by the word

of God there were heavens of old, and an earth consisting of 6 water and in water, by which the world that then existed, be7 ing deluged, was destroyed; but the heavens and the earth

which now exist are, by the same word, treasured up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment, and destruction of these 8 impious men. Now let not this one thing, my beloved, escape you, That with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, 9 and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack with regard to his promise, as some reckon slackness. But he is long suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, 10 but that all should come to a reformation. Now the day of the Lord will come, as a thief at night, when the heavens with a

* Literally, the things predicted by.

crashing roar shall pass away, and the elements shall be dis11 solved by fire, and the earth, and all the works thereon, shall

be burned up. Therefore as all these things are to be dissolved, 12 what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conversation and godliness, expecting, and eagerly desiring, the coming of the day of God, in which the heavens, all on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with intense heat, and we, 13 according to his promise, expect new heavens, and a new earth in which dwelleth righteousness!

14

As you therefore, beloved, expect these things, use all 15 diligence to be found at peace with him, without spot and without blemish; and reckon the long suffering of our Lord to be salvation; as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath also written to you; as he hath also in all 16 his letters, when speaking of these things; in which there are some things hard to be understood; which the unlearned and unstable torture, as they do the other scriptures, to their own 17 destruction. As you therefore, beloved, know these things beforehand, be on your guard, that you may not be hurried away by the error of these lawless men, and fall from your sted18 fastness; but increase in the favour and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To HIм be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

THE FIRST CATHOLIC EPISTLE

OF THE

APOSTLE JOHN,

I.

WHAT was from the beginning; what we have heard; what we have seen with our eyes; what we have viewed atten2 tively, and our hands have handled-(with respect also to the word of the life even the life was manifested, and we have seen, and testify, and announce to you, that eternal life which 3 was with the Father, and hath been clearly manifested to us) that which we have seen and heard, we announce to you, that you also may have communion with us. Now this communi. on of ours is with the Father, and with his son Jesus Christ 5 And we write these things to you that your joy may be com plete. This indeed is the message which we have heard from him, and announce to you, That God is light and in him there 6 is no darkness at all. If we say that we have communion

4

with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practise 7 truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we

have communion with one another, and the blood of Jesus 8 Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have 9 not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we

confess our sins, HE is faithful, and just to forgive us our 10 sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a false speaker, and his word is not in us.

II.

My children I write these things to you that you may not sin. But if any one sin, we have an advocate with the Fa2 ther Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is an atonement for our sins, and not for ours only, but for those of the whole 3 world. Now by this we know that we have known him, if we 4 keep his commandments. He who saith I know him, and doth not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in

5 him. But whosoever keepeth his word, in him indeed the 6 love of God is perfected. By this we know that we are in him he who saith he abideth in him, ought to walk as he walked.

7

Brethren, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old commandment, which you had from the begin ning. This old commandment is the word which you heard 8 from the beginning. Again I write to you a new commandment, a thing which is true in him, and in you. Because the 9 darkness is past, and the light-the true light now shineth,

he who saith that he is in the light, and hateth his brother, 10 is still in darkness. He who loveth his brother, abideth 11 in the light, and in it there is no stumbling block. But he who hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he is going, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.

12 I write to you, children, because your sins are forgiven 13 you on account of his name. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him, who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you have known the 14 Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of 15 God abideth in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Love not the world nor the things in the world. If any one 16 loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all

that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the pomp of this life are not of the Father, but are 17 of the world. Now the world is passing away, and the desire thereof; but he who doth the will of God shall abide forever. 18 Children, the last period is come: and as you have heard

that the Antichrist cometh, there are even now many Anti19 christs, by which we know that it is the last period. They went out from us; but they were not of us. For if they had been 20 of us, they would have continued with us. But to the end that they might be made manifest (because all are not of us) even you yourselves have an unction from the holy one, and 21 know every one. I have not written to you because you do not