THE EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST JOHN. Here beginneth the first epistle of St John. THE FIRST CHAPTER. THAT which was from the beginning declare we unto you, which we have 1 John i. heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. For the life appeared, and we have seen, and bear witness, and shew unto you that everlasting life, which was with the Father, and appeared unto us. nesseth that God. IN that St John saith, "The thing which was from the St John witbeginning," and "the everlasting life that was with the Christ is very Father," he witnesseth that Christ is very God; as he doth Ant. ed. in the beginning of his gospel, saying: "The word," or the thing 3, was at the beginning, and the thing was with God, and that thing was God, and all things were made by it." 66 is very man. And when he saith, "Which we heard, and saw with That Christ our eyes, and our hands handled" him; he testifieth that Ant. ed. Christ is very man also; as he doth in the beginning of his gospel, saying: "The word," or that thing, "was made flesh," that is, became man. And thus we have in plain and open words a manifest article of our faith, that our Saviour Christ is very God and very man. lieveth that son of God, man, hath Which article whosoever not only believeth, but also He that bebelieveth in it, the same is the son of God, and hath ever- Christ is the lasting life in him, and shall never come into condemnation: and also very as it is written, John i. "He gave them to be the sons power of God, in that they believed in his name4;" and John iii., " He John i that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life;" and a little John vi. before in the said chapter, "He that believeth in him shall not be condemned." And to believe in the words of this article is that eating of Christ's flesh, and drinking his blood, [3 As the Hebrew word means alike word and thing, Tyndale was led to consider the apostle as using Xóyos for its equivalent.] [4 So Tyndale's translation of John i. 12.] [TYNDALE, II.] 10 John iii. To believe in Christ. W. T. of which is spoken, John vi. "The words which I speak are spirit and life, and the flesh profiteth not at all;" meaning of the fleshly eating of his body, and fleshly drinking of his blood. There is therefore great difference between believing that there is a God, and that Christ is God and man; and to believe in God and Christ, God and man, and in the promises of mercy that are in him. The first is common to good and bad, and unto the devils also, and is called an historical faith and belief1. The second is proper unto the sons of God, and is their life, as it is written, "The righteous liveth by faith;" that is, in putting his trust, confidence, and whole hope put all our in the goodness, mercy and help of God, in all adversities, bodily and ghostly, and all temptations, and even in sin and hell2, how deep soever he be fallen therein. To believe that Christ is God and man is to trust, hope, and confi dence in him. Ant. ed. Moses. Christ is our life. W.T. John iii. But as he which feeleth not his disease can long for no health, even so it is impossible for any man to believe in Christ's blood, except Moses have had him first in cure, and with his law have robbed him of his righteousness, and condemned him unto everlasting death, and have shewed him under what damnation they are in by birth in Adam, and how all their deeds (appear they never so holy) are yet but damnable sin, because they can refer nothing unto the glory of God, but seek themselves, their own profit, honour and glory so that repentance toward the law must go before this belief; and he which repenteth not, but consenteth unto the life of sin, hath no part in this faith. And when John calleth Christ the everlasting life that was with the Father, he signifieth that Christ is our life; as after in the epistle, and in the first also of his gospel, saying, “In him was life." For until we receive life of Christ by faith, we are dead, and can be but dead, as saith John iii., "He that believeth not in the Son, can see no life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him.” Of which wrath we are heirs by birth, children of saith Paul, (Eph. ii.) Of which wrath we are ignorant, until the law be published; and walk quietly after our lusts, and love God wickedly, that he should be content therewith, and maintain us therein, contrary unto his godly and righteous nature. But as soon as the law (whose nature is to utter sin, Rom. iii., By nature we are the wrath. Ant. ed. Eph. ii. Rom. iii. [1 So P. C. L., but D. has devils thereto, and is called the faith and belief of the history.] [2 Tyndale probably adverted to Ps. xlix. 15, or lxxxvi. 13.] demneth us. and to set man at variance with God) is preached; then we first awake out of our dream, and see our damnation, and have3 the law which is so contrary unto our nature, and The law congrudge against God thereto, as young children do against Ant. ed. their elders when they first command, and count God a cruel tyrant because of his law, in that he condemneth us for that thing which we cannot love, nor of love fulfil. ourselves to Christ, and But when Christ is preached, how that God for his sake Christ. receiveth us to mercy, and forgiveth us all that is past, and henceforth reckoneth not unto us our corrupt and poisoned nature, and taketh us as his sons, and putteth us under grace and mercy, and promiseth that he will not judge us by the rigorousness of the law, but nurture us with all mercy and patience, as a father most merciful, only if we will submit If we submit ourselves unto his doctrine and learn to keep his laws; yea, Chwidge and he will thereto consider our weakness5, and, whatsoever owns chanceth, never taketh away his mercy, till we cast off the great mercy yoke of our profession first, and run away with utter defiance, that we will never come more at school; then our stubborn and hard hearts mollify and wax soft; and in the confidence and hope that we have in Christ, and his kindness, we go to God boldly as unto our father, and receive life, that is to say, love unto God and unto the law also. That which we have seen and heard we declare unto you, that ye may have fellowship with us, and that our fellowship may be with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write unto you, that your joy may be full. our weakness, receive us. Ant. ed. stone of all trine and To bring unto the fellowship of God and Christ, and of The touchthem that believe in Christ, is the final intent of all the true docscripture, why it was given of God unto man, and the only preachers. thing which all true preachers seek; and whereby ye shall ever know and discern the true word of God from all false and counterfeited doctrine of vain traditions, and the true preacher from the wily hypocrite. We preach unto you, saith St John, that everlasting life which we have heard, and in hearing received through faith, and are sure of it, to draw you to us out of the fellowship that ye have with the [3 Probably a typographical error for hate.] [4 So D., but P. C. L. has righteousness.] [5 So P. C. L., but D. has meekness.] [6 So P. C. L.; but here and where Paul occurs, D. omits St.] damned devils in sinful lusts and ignorance of God; for we "seek you and not yours," as saith saint Paul, 2 Cor. xii. We love you as ourselves in God, and therefore would have ble manner you fellows and equal with us, and build 2 Cor. xii. The modest and charita of St Paul's doctrine. Ant. ed. Luke ii. St Paul preached Christ, and not himself. Ant. ed. you upon the foundation laid of the apostles and prophets, which is Christ Jesus, and make you of the household of God for ever; that ye and we, fellows and brethren, and coupled together in one spirit, in one faith, and in one hope, might have our fellowship thereby with God, and become his sons and heirs, and with Jesus Christ, being his brethren and co-heirs, and to make your joy full through that glad tidings, as the angel said unto the shepherds, Luke ii. "Behold, I shew you great joy that shall be unto all the people, how that there is a Saviour born unto you this day, which is Christ the Lord." And these tidings we bring you with the word of God only, which we received of his Spirit, and out of the mouth of his Son, as true messengers. "We preach not ourselves, but Christ our Lord, and us your servants for his sake:" we do not love ourselves, to seek yours unto us, that after we had with wiles robbed you of all ye have, we should exalt ourselves over you, and separate ourselves from you, and make ourselves a several kingdom, free and frank1, reigning over you as heathen tyrants, and holding you in bondage to serve for our lucre and lusts, tangling your conscience with doctrine of man, which draweth from God and Christ, and fearing3 you with the bug of excommunication, against God's word; or, if that served not, shaking a sword at you. And this is the tidings which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and yet walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But and if we walk in light, as he is in light, [1 Frank. He alludes to the expression Frank-almoigne: "Tenure in Frank-almoign, in libera eleemosyna, or free alms, is that whereby a religious corporation, aggregate or sole, holdeth lands of the donor to them and their successors for ever. The service which they were bound to render for these lands was not certainly defined, but only in general, to pray for the souls of the donor and his heirs, dead or alive; and therefore they did no fealty (which is incident to all other services but this), because this divine service was of a higher and more exalted nature." Blackstone's Comm. Vol. I. p. 101.] [2 So P. C. L., but D. omits our.] [3 P. C. L. has fraying.] then have we fellowship together, and the blood of Christ his Son light, so the ness. his words W. T. As the devil is darkness and lies, so is God light and As God is truth only; and there is no darkness of falsehead and con- devil is darksenting to wickedness in him. And the brightness of his Ant. ed. light is his word and doctrine, as the hundred and eighteenth1 Psalm saith, "Thy word is a lantern unto my feet, and a Psal. cxix. light to my paths." And Christ is "the light that lighteneth Christ and all men." And the apostles are called "the light of the are the light. world," because of the doctrine. And all that know truth are light: "Ye were once darkness," saith Paul, “but now Eph. v. light in the Lord; walk therefore as the children of light." And good works are called the fruits of light. And all that Good works live in ignorance are called darkness; as he saith afterwards, of light. "He that hateth his brother walketh in darkness." For if the light of the glorious gospel of Christ did shine in his heart, he could not hate his brother. By walking understand consenting, doing, and working. are the fruits Ant. ed. darkness or W. T. If then we walk in darkness, that is, consent and work wick- Walking in edness, and say we have fellowship with God, we lie: for in light. to have fellowship with him is to know, and consent, and profess his doctrine in our hearts. Now if the commandments of God be written in our hearts, our members cannot but practise them, and shew the fruit of them5. So whether light or darkness be in the heart, it will appear in the walking. For though our members be never so dead unto virtue, yet if our souls knowledge the truth, and consent unto righteousness, we have the spirit of life in us. And therefore Paul saith, "If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from Rom. viii. death be in you, then will he that raised up Jesus from death the Spirit of quicken your mortal bodies by the reason of the Spirit that then will he dwelleth in you." So that it is not possible for him that Christ. knoweth the truth, and consenteth thereto, to continue in Ant. ed. sin. And then, finally, if we have the light in our hearts, and walk therein, then we have fellowship with God, and are his sons and heirs, and are purged from all sin through Christ's blood. [4 The 118th of the vulgate, but the 119th of the Hebrew and of the English version. Day's edit. has, c and xix.] [5 So P. C. L., but D. omits of them.] [6 So P. C. L., though D. omits therefore.] If we have God in us, raise us up with Jesus |