- Tg^rr ta I n - c T-g J’4(SE;jf’!
Expositions of Scripture
Practice of Prelates
4F0V tt)e ilutiUcatton of tf^t ^movk& of tlje jFatfiero anD (2^atlp SlS^ritere of tf)( liefotmeli
Expositions and Notes
Sundry Portions
The Holy Scriptures
Together With
The Peactice of Prelates
WILLIAM TYNDALE,
Martyr, 1586
Edited For
RECTOR OF HASILBURY BRYAN, DORSET ;
FORMERLY FELLOW OF ST JOHn’s COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND PROFESSOR OF NATURAL
Philosophy in the East India Company’s College at Haileybury
Printed At
The University Press
M.dccc.xlix
Prologue to Exposition of St Matthew’s Gospel 3
Exposition of Chaps, v. vi. and vii. of St Matthew’s Gospel 16
Introductory notice to exposition of first Epistle of St John 133
Prologue to the same 136
Exposition of the first Epistle of St John 145
Mai’ginal notes on first twenty-one chapti”s of St Matthew’s Gospel 227
Introductory notice to Practice of Prelates 237
Preface to the Practice of Prelates 240
The Practice of Prelates 249
Exposition
Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Chapters
[tyndale, II.]
[Introductory Notice
In the adyertisement prefixed to the first Tolume of this reprint of the writmgs of Tyndale, the editor announced the intention of arranging them in three classes, Iz. doctrinal and hortatory treatises; helps to a right understanding of the scriptures, consisting of introductory prefaces, expositions, and notes upon the sacred text; and lastly his replies, and exposures of the adversaries of the Reformation.
The first volume has accordingly comprehended the whole of the first class, and of the introductory prefaces, or prologues, as Tyndale styled them. Proceeding, therefore, to the expositions, the present volume will commence with Tyndale’s exposition of the Sermon on the mount, as coming first in the order of the scriptures, though not published till 1532, and consequently some months later than his exposition of the first epistle of St John^. For the following reprint, that of Day in 1573, the peculiar readings of which will be marked D., has been collated with a copy of the exposition in the archiepiscopal library at Lambeth, numbered 401 in Dr Maitland’s account of rare books in that library, and of which he has said that it may be a specimen of the first edition. The readings of the Lambeth edition will be distinguished by the letter L. ; and the marginal notes found in it will have the initials W. T. attached to them, to mark that Tyndale is to be held responsible for them alone, the other marginal notes being probably composed by Foxe, as editor for Day.]
[) See Anderson’s Annals, VoL i. 8 and 9; and Biogr. Notice of Tyndale, pp. li. and lii.]
HAN EXPOSITION UPPON THE V. VI. VII. CHAPTERS OF MATHEW,
Which Three Chapters Are the Keye and the Dore of the Scbiptubb
And the Restoring Agayne of Moses Law Corrupte by The
Scribes and Pharises. And the Exposition Is
The Restoring Agayne of Christes Lawe
Corrupte by the Papistes
U Item before the booke, thou hast a Prologe very necessario, contayning the whole summe of the couenaunt made betweue God and us, uppon which we be baptised to keepe it.
Set forth by William Tyndall
The Prologue
Here hast thou, dear reader, an exposition upon the fifth, to dig the sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew, wherein Christ, our AbraJuun
. . ’ 15 to open spiritual Isaac, diggeth again the wells of Abraham : which pl^in”3,e’ wells the scribes and Pharisees, those wicked and spiteful ^^h’u the Philistines, had stopped and filled up with the earth of their g^’**”’ false expositions. He openeth the kingdom of heaven, which they had shut up that other men should not enter, as they themselves had no lust to go in. He restoreth the key of knowledge, which they had taken away, and broken the wards, with wresting the text, contrary to his due and natural course, with their false glosses. He plucketh away from the face of Moses the veil which the scribes and Pharisees had spread thereon, that no man might perceive the brightness of his countenance. He weedeth out the thorns and bushes of their Pharisaical glosses, wherewith they had stopped up the narrow way and strait gate, that few could find them.
The wells of Abraham are the scripture. And the scripture Abrahin
may well be called the kingdom of heaven, which is eternal The kingdom Ufe, and nothing save the knowledge of God the Father, and what it i.’ of his Son Jesus Christ. Moses’ face is the law, in her right john xvh. understanding ; and the law in her right understanding is the Th^ey, key, or at the least way the first and principal key, to open w. t. the door of the scripture. And the law is the very way that Jhe^”!^ bringeth unto the door Christ, as it is written, Gal. iii. ” The ^4^^ j.
[2 Such is the title placed at the head of this Exposition in Day.]
Gal. ui. law was our schoolmaster to bi’ing us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” And “the end of the law,” that is to saj,
Kom. X. the thing, or cause why the law was given, “is Christ, to justify all that believe^:” that is to say, the law was given to prove us unrighteous, and to drive us to Christ, to be made righteous
Law, what through forgiveness of sin by him. The law was given to her office is. ^ P ..r^-r.i -j i^- ^… make the sm known, saith St Paul, and that sin committed
Kom. vii, under the law might be the more sinful. The law is that thing which Paul in his inward man granted to be good, but was yet compelled ofttimes of his members to do those things which that good law condemned for evil.
^^’*.?2 The law maketh no man to love the law, or less to do or utteretn^ sin, ’
S’rluSds!’^ commit sin; but gendereth more lust, and increaseth sin. For us’to’^chrS. I cannot but hate the law, inasmuch as I find no power to do it; and it nevertheless condemneth me, because I do it not. Bom.v. The law setteth not at one with God, but causeth wrath, johni. “The law was given by Moses, but grace and verity by thTS’^lut Jesus Christ.” Behold, though Moses gave the law, yet he
Christ only , . * , , . . / giveth grace gavo no man grace to do it, or to understand it aright ; or to do it, and … i i ari’^hu’^’*” wrote it in any man’s heart, to consent that it was good, and to wish after power to fulfil it. But Christ giveth grace to do it, and to understand it aright ; and writeth it with his holy Spirit in the tables of the hearts of men ; and maketh it a true thing there, and no^ hypocrisy.
The law, truly understood, is those fiery serpents that
Thebrasen stuug the childrou of Isracl with present death. But Christ serjient. , ’-’ ^ ^
NunTi) xxi ^^ *^ brasen serpent ; on whom whosoever, being stung with conscience of sin, looketh with a sure faith, is healed immediately of that stinging, and saved from the pains and sorrows of hell.
The law and It is ouo thing to coudemu, and pronounce the sentence of faith be of . O . . f - , , contrary dcath, and to sting the conscience with fear of everlasting pam:
operations…
wT- and it is another thing to justify from sin ; that is to say, to forgive and remit sin, and to heal the conscience, and certify a man, not only that he is delivered from eternal death, but also that he is made a son of God and heir of everlasting life. The first is the office of the law : the second pertaineth unto Christ only, through faith.
Thescripture, Now if thou givo the law a false gloss, and say that the w. T. ”^’ [ ^ So Tyndale’s Translation.]
[2 That is, detects.] [3 L. 7io; but D. none.]
PROLOGUE UNTO THE READER. 5 law is a thing which a man may do of his own strength, even out of the power of his free-will ; and that by the deeds of the law thou may est deserve forgiveness of thy fore* sins ; then died Christ in vain, and is made almost of no stead, seeing thou oai. it art become thine own saviour. Neither can Christ (where that gloss is admitted) be otherwise taken or esteemed of christian men, for all his passion and promises made to us in his blood, than he is of the Turks : how that he was a holy prophet, and that he prayeth for us as other saints do; save that we Christians think that he is somewhat more in favour than other saints be (though we imagine him so proud, that he will not hear us but through his mild mother and other holy saints, which all we count much more meek and merciful than he, but him most of might), and that he hath also an higher place in heaven, as the Grey friars and Observants set him, as it were from the chin upward, above St Francis.
And so, when by this false interpretation of the law Christ, chnst i the which is the door, the way, and the ground or foundation of way,’ and
11 , . . , . , ^ ’ n foundation all the scripture, is lost concerning the chiefest fruit of his ”^ ?””
^ … scriptures.
passion, and no more seen in his own likeness ; then is the scripture locked up, and henceforth extreme darkness, and a maze, wherein if thou walk, thou wettest neither where thou art, nor canst find any way out. It is a confused chaos, and a mingling of all things together without order, every thing contrary to another. It is an hedge or grove of briars, wherein if thou be caught, it is impossible to get out, but that if thou loose thyself in one place, thou art tangled and caught in another for it.
This wise was the scripture locked up of the scribes and when by
(flosses of
Pharisees, that the Jews could not see Christ when he came, p""- ”.” .
’ imagination nor yet can. And though Christ with these three chapters ,J,^g^^^;” did open it again ; yet by such glosses (for our unthankfulness’ ‘^ord’thOT u sake, that we had no lust to live according) have we Christians ilJ^u^VKp”^ lost Christ again, and the understanding of the most clear ’""" text, wherewith Christ expoundeth and restoreth the law again. For the hypocrites, whatsoever seemeth impossible to their corrupt nature, unrenewed in Christ, that they cover over with the mist of their glosses, that the light thereof should not be seen. As they have interpreted here the words of Christ, wherewith he restoreth the law again, to be but good [* Fore, i. e. previous.]
Exposition of Matthew V. VI. VII
Christ used no temporal rpfiment.
Christ is a gift given only to them that love the law, and profess it W. T.
He that professeth not the law, hath no part in the
Works do not justify. W. T.
Matt xix. Bom. ii.
counsels only, but no precepts that bind the consciences. And thereto they have so ruffled and tangled the temporal and spiritual regiment together, and made thereof such confusion, that no man can know the one from the other : to the intent that they would seem to have both by the authority of Christ, which never usurped temporal regiment unto him.
Notwithstanding, most dear reader, if thou read this exposition with a good heart, only to know the truth, for the amending chiefly of thine own living, and then of other men’s (as charity requireth where an occasion is given); then shalt thou perceive their falsehood ^ and see their mist expelled with the brightness of the inevitable truth.
Another conclusion is this: all the good promises which are made us throughout all the scripture, for Christ’s sake, for his love, his passion or suffering, his blood-shedding or death, are all made us on this condition and covenant on our party, that we henceforth love the law of God, to walk therein, and to do it, and fashion our lives thereafter : insomuch that whosoever hath not the law of God written in his heart, that he love it, have his lust in it, and record therein night and day, understanding it as God hath given it, and as Christ and the apostles expound it, the same hath no part in the promises, nor can have any true faiih in the blood of Christ ; because there is no promise made him, but to them only that promise to keep the law.
Thou wilt haply say to me again, If I cannot have my sins forgiven except I love the law, and of love endeavour myself to keep it ; then the keeping of the law justifieth me. I answer that the argument is false, and but blind sophistry, and hke unto this argument : I cannot have forgiveness of my sin except I have sinned ; ergo, to have sinned is the forgiveness of sins. And it is like to this also : no man can be healed of the plague but he that hath it ; ergo, to have the plague doth heal the plague.
And like sophistry are these arguments: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments; ergo, the deeds of the law justify us. Item, ” The hearers of the law are not righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law shall be justified;” ergo, the deeds of the law justify from sin. And again : ” We must all stand before the judgment-seat of [1 So D., but L. falshepe.]
Prologue unto the Reader. 7
Christ, to receive every man according to the deeds which he did in the body ;” ergo, the law, or the deeds of the law, justify.
These, and all such, are naughty ^ arguments. For ye see that the king pardoneth no murderer but on a condition, that he henceforth keep the law, and do no more so ; and yet ye know well enough that he is saved by grace, favour, and pardon, ere the keeping of the law come : howbeit, if he break the law afterward, he falleth again into the same danger of death.
Even so, none of us can be received to grace but upon a By keeping condition to keep the law, neither yet continue any longer in comin^rin grace than that purpose lasteth. And if we break the ^**^ law, we must sue for a new pardon; and have a new fight against sin, hell, and desperation, ere we can come to a quiet faith again, and feel that the sin is forgiven. Neither can there be in thee a stable and an undoubted faith that thy sin is forgiven thee, except there be also a lusty courage in thine heart, and a trust that thou wilt sin no more ; for on that condition, that thou endeavour thyself to sin no more, is the promise of mercy and forgiveness made unto thee.
And as thy love to the law increaseth, so doth thy faith Faith, love, in Christ ; and so doth thine hope and longing for the hfe to inseparable
.’ - , . , f .,,.., , in this life.
come. And as thy love is cold, so is thy laith weak ; and w. t. thine hope, and longing for the life to come, little. And where no love to the law is, there is neither faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, nor longing for the life to come ; but instead of faith a wicked imagination, that God is so unrighteous that he is not offended with sin ; and instead of hope a desire to live for ever here, and a greediness of worldly voluptuousness.
And unto all such is the scripture locked up, and made They that impossible to understand. They may read it, and rehearse ’*’^’^^""”? the stories thereof, and dispute of it, as the Turks may ; and to^s|f”aJjo^ as we may of the Turks’ law. And they may suck pride, ^- ^” hypocrisy, and all manner of poison there-out, to slay their own souls, and to put stumbling-blocks in other men’s ways, to thrust them from the truth ; and^ get such learning therein as in Aristotle’s Ethics and Moral philosophy, and in the precepts of old philosophers. But it is impossible for them [2 That is, worth nought.] [3 L. to get.]
to apply one sentence thereof to their sours health, or^ to fashion their Uves thereby for to please God ; or to make them love the law, or understand it; either to feel the power of Christ’s death, and might of his resurrection, and the sweetness of the life to come: so that they ever remain carnal and fleshly ; as thou hast an ensample of the scribes, Pharisees, and Jews, in the new Testament.
cweAnother conclusion is this : of them that beheve in Christ for the remission of sin, and love the law, are a thousand
How God decrees and not so few, one perfecter or weaker than another ;
careth for ^ the weak, ^f which a great sort are so feeble, that they can neither go forward in their profession and purpose, nor yet stand, except they be holpen and borne of their stronger brethren, and tended as young children are by the care of their fathers and mothers. And therefore doth God command the elder to care
Rom. XV. for the younger: as Paul teacheth, saying, “We that be stronger ought to bear the feebleness of the weaker ;” and,
B^bSrin “Brethren, if any man be caught in any fault, ye that be wrakn’^twe spiritual,” and are grown in knowledge, and have gotten the o”fchrill’*” victory of your flesh, “teach such with the spirit of softness,”
not calling them heretics at the first chop, and threatening them with fire and fagots : but, alter alterius oner a portate
(saith he), and sic adimplebitis legem Christi ; that is to say,
” Bear each other’s burden, and so shall ye fulfil the law of
Christ.” Even so verily shall ye fulfil the law of Christ ; and not with smiting your brethren, and putting stumbling-blocks before their weak feet, and killing their consciences, and making them more afraid of shadows and bugs than to break their Father’s commandments, and to trust in words of wind
Buier,why and Vanity more than in their Father’s promise. And for ortamed. their sakcs also he hath ordained rulers, both spiritual and temporal, to teach them and exhort them ; to warn them, and to keep occasions from them, that with custom of sin they fall not from their profession.
whyOfljd Now when they that take upon them to be the elder
j^-j brethren are become hypocrites, and turned to wily foxes and cruel wolves and fierce lions, and the officers be waxen evil and servants to mammon, ministering their offices for their own lucre only, and not for the profit of their brethren, but favouring all vices whereby they may have a vantage; [1 So L., but D. has for.]
PROLOGUE UNTO THE READER. 9 then is God compelled, of his fatherly pity, to scourge his weak himself, with poverty, oppression, wrong, loss, danger, and with a thousand manner of diseases, to bring them again, if they be fallen, and to keep their hearts fast to their profession. So that diligentihus Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum : they that love God, that is to say, the law of God Rom. viu. (for that is to love God), unto them God turneth all to the best; and scourgeth them with the lusts of their own weakness, to their own salvation.
Another conclusion is this : God receiveth both perfect and weak in like grace, for Christ’s sake, as a father receiveth all his children, both small and great, in like love. He The conm-
’ , O ’ ^ tionsofthe receiveth them to be his sons, and maketh a covenant with sj’^^J?*”^’- them, to bear their weakness for Christ’s sake, till they be waxen stronger ; and how often soever they fall, yet to forgive them if they will turn again ; and never to cast oif any, till he yield himself to sin, and take sin’s part, and for affection and lust to sin fight against his own profession to destroy it. And he correcteth and chastiseth his children ever at home, with the rod of mercy and love, to make them better; but he bringeth them not forth, to be judged after the condemnation of the law.
Another conclusion is this : every man is two men, flesh Fiesh ana and spirit; which so fight perpetually one against another, that a man must go either back or forward, and cannot stand long in one state. If the spirit overcome the temptation, then is she stronger, and the flesh weaker. But and if the flesh get a custom, then is the spirit none otherwise oppressed of the flesh, than as though she had a mountain upon her back : and as we sometime in our dreams think we bear heavier than a millstone on our breasts ; or when we dream, now and then, that we would run away for fear, our legs seem heavier than lead ; even so is the spirit oppressed and overladen of the flesh through custom, that she struggleth and striveth to get up and break loose in vain ; until the God of mercy, which heareth her groan through Jesus Christ, come and loose her with his power, and put his cross of tribulation on the back of the flesh, to keep her down, to minish her strength and to mortify her.
Wherefore every man must have his cross to nail his flesh cross. \v. t. to, for the mortifying of her. Now, if thou be not strong
Evil lusts and enough, and discreet thereto, to take up thy cross thyself, to be purged and to tamo thy flesh with prayer and fasting, watching, aVht^ deeds of mercy, holy meditations and reading the scripture, and with bodily labour, and in withdrawing all manner of pleasures from the flesh, and with exercises contrary to the vices which thou markest thy body most inchned to, and with abstaining from all that courage the flesh against the spirit ; as reading of wanton books, wanton communication, foohsh jesting and effeminate thoughts, and talking of covetousness Epn. V (which Paul forbiddeth), and magnifying of worldly promotions ; and takest, I say, up such a cross by thine ownself, or by the counsel of other that are better learned and exercised than thou ; then must God put his cross of adversity upon thee. For we must have every man his cross in this world ; or be damned with the world. To sin under Qf this ve SCO the difference between the sin of them that grace, cna to / liwl’^w.!.^ beheve in the blood of Christ for the remission of sin, and consent and submit themselves unto the law, and the sin of them that yield themselves unto sin, to serve it, &c. The first sin under grace ; and their sins are venial, that is to say, forgiveable. The other sin under the law, and under the damnation of the law, and fight (for a great part of them) against grace and against the Spirit of grace, and against the law of God and faith of Christ, and corrupt the text of the covenant with false glosses, and are disobedient to God, and therefore sin deadly. Lambs. Of this also ye see the difference between the lambs of
Swine. true behevers; and between the unclean swine, that follow Dogs. w. T. carnal lusts and fleshly liberty ; and the churlish and hypocritish dogs, which, for the blind zeal of their own righteousness, persecute the righteousness of the faith in Christ’s blood, nofatti^”* The effeminate and careless swine, which continue in their WT. fleshliness, and cease not to wallow themselves in their old puddle, think that they believe very well in Christ’s blood ; but they are deceived ; as thou mayest clearly perceive, because they fear not the damnation of evil works, nor love the law of good works, and therefore have no part in the promise. D^^tovenot The cruel and doggish hypocrites, which take upon them w. T. to work, think they love the law ; which yet they never saw, save under a veil. But they be deceived ; as thou mayest perceive, by that they believe not in Christ for the forgive-
PROLOGUE UNTO THE READER. 11 ness of sin. Whereby also (I mean that they believe not) thou mayest perceive that they understand not the law : for if they understood the law, it would either drive them to Christ, or make them despair immediately.
But the true believers behold the law in her own likeness, Truefatui
, is coupled and see the impossibility thereof to be fulfilled with natural J^‘^j^* power ; and therefore flee to Christ for mercy, grace, and ^- ^ power ; and then, of a very thankfulness for the mercy received, love the law in her own likeness, and submit themselves to learn it and to profit therein, and to do to-morrow that they cannot do to-day.
Te see also the difference of all manner of faiths. The Thediffer-
! -1 ’/^ ence of faith of the true believers is, that God justifieth or forgiveth ; ho^-‘tf”fo and Christ deserveth it ; and the faith or trust in Christ’s ^^fefth blood receiveth it, and certifieth the conscience thereof, and ^w.‘t.””” saveth and dehvereth her from fear of death and damnation. And this is that we mean, when we say faith justifieth : that faith (I mean in Christ, and not in our own works) certifieth the conscience that our sins are forgiven us for Christ’s blood’s sake.
But the faith of hypocrites is, that God forgiveth, and Faith of
… hypocrites.
works deserve it : and that same false faith, in their own w. t. works, receiveth the mercy promised to the merits of their own works ; and so Christ is utterly excluded.
And thus ye see that faith is the thing that is affirmed to justify, of all parties. For faith in Christ’s blood (which is God’s promise) quieteth the conscience of the true believers : and a false faith, or trust in works (which is their own feigning), beguileth the blind hypocrites for a season ; till God for the greatness of their sin, when it is full, openeth their eyes, and then they despair. But the swine say, God is so good Faith of that he will save devils and all; and damn no man perpetually, whatsoever he do.
Another conclusion is this : to believe in Christ for the remission of sins, and, of a thankfulness for that mercy, to love the law truly : that is to say, to love God that is the Father of all and giveth all ; and Jesus Christ, that is Lord of us all, and bought us all, with all our hearts, souls, power, and might ; and our brethren for our Father’s sake (because they be created after his image), and for our Lord and master Christ’s sake, because they be the price of his blood ; and to
long for the life to come, because this life cannot be led withThe right out sin. Thcso three points (I say) are the profession and wl”!.’"" rehgion of a christian man, and the inward baptism of the heart, signified by the outward washing of the body. And they be that spiritual character, badge, or sign, wherewith God, through his Spirit, marketh all his immediately and as soon as they be joined to Christ, and made members of his church by true faith. The church The church of Christ, then, is the multitude of all them w. X. ” that believe in Christ for the remission of sin ; and, of a thankfulness for that mercy, love the law of God purely and without glosses; and, of hate they have to the sin of this world, long for the life to come. This is the church that cannot err damnably ; nor any long time ; nor all of them : but as soon as any question ariseth, the truth of God’s promise stirreth up one or other to teach them the truth of every thing needful to salvation out of God’s word ; and lighteneth the hearts of the other true members, to see the same, and to consent thereto.
And as all they that have their hearts washed with this inward baptism of the Spirit are of the church, and have the keys of the scripture, yea, and of binding and loosing, and Whosoever do uot err ; even so they that sin of purpose, and will not tmnlfrom”^ hcar when their faults be told them, but seek liberties and Christ are privilcgcs to slu unpunishcd, and gloss out the law of God, church. an(j maintain ceremonies, traditions and customs, to destroy the faith of Christ, the same be members of Satan, and all their doctrine is poison, error and darkness ; yea, though they be popes, bishops, abbots, curates, and doctors of divinity, and though they can rehearse all the scripture without book, and though they be seen in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin : yea, and though they so preach Christ and the passion of Christ, that they make the poor women weep and howl again. They that For whcu they come to the point, that they should minister uw written Christ’s passiou unto the salvation of our souls, there they hearts cannot poison altogether and gloss out the law, that should make us un((er)tand ’ … .
chriuTo"" ^ ^*^^ ^^^ salvation in Christ, and drive us in that point from
Mivat.on. Christ, and teach us to put our trust in our own works for the remission and satisfaction of our sins, and in the apish play of hypocrites, which sell their merits instead of Christ’s blood and passion.
Prologue unto the Reader. 13
Lo, now, dear reader, to believe in Christ’s blood for the a short remission of sin, and purchasing of all the good promises that w. t. help to the life to come ; and to love the law ; and to long what the for the life to come, is the inward baptism of the soul, the ti’sm^Vthr baptism that only availeth in the sight of God ; the new generation and image of Christ ; the only key also to bind and loose sinners ; the touchstone to try all doctrines ; the lantern and light that scattereth and expelleth the mist and darkness of all hypocrisy, and a preservative against all error and heresy ; the mother of all good works ; the earnest of everlasting life, and title whereby we challenge our inheritance.
And though faith in Christ’s blood make the marriage between our soul and Christ, and is properly the marriage garment ; yea, and the sign Thau, that defendeth us from the Thau. w. t. smiting and power of the evil angels^ ; and is also the rock whereon Christ’s church is built, and whereon all that is built standeth against all weather of wind and tempests ; yet might the profession of the faith in Christ’s blood, and of the love to the law, and longing for the life to come, be called all these things, were malice and froward understanding away ; because that where one of them is, there will be all three ; Faith, hope, and where all are not, there is none of them. And because are ins
that the one is known by the other, it is impossible to know any of them truly, and not be deceived, but in respect and comparison of the other.
For if thou wilt be sure that thy faith be perfect, then Faith, hope, examine thyself whether thou love the law. And in like are known^ manner, if thou wilt know whether thou love the law aright, oti^er. w. t.
P Tyndale alludes to Ezekiel ix. 4 6, where the Latin, of the Vulgate translation, makes the Lord say, ” Put the sign of Thau on the foreheads of the men.” The Hebrew verb means setting a sign, or marking; and the substantive formed from it, M^, signifies a sign, or mark, and is also used as the name of the letter Jl, Thau, the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Hence Jerome, copying the Hebrew substantive in Roman letters, translates, Signa Thau, where the Septuagint renders, Aos a-rjiielov, and our authorised version, ’ Set a mark.’ Unhappily, too, though neither the Hebrew nor the Samaritan characters for Thau bear any resemblance to a cross, the Greek and Roman character for the corresponding letter, T, obviously has a resemblance to it ; so that the text, as read by the Romanists in thieir Vulgate, conveys the idea of the outward sign of the cross having a defensive power in it.]
then examine thyself whether thou believe in Christ only for the remission of sin, and obtaining the promises made in the scripture. And even so, compare thy hope of the life to come unto faith and love, and to hating the sin of this life ; which hate the love to the law engendereth in thee. And if they accompany not one another, all three together, then be sure that all is but hypocrisy.
If you say. Seeing faith, love, and hope, be three virtues inseparable ; ergo, faith only justifieth not : I answer, though they be inseparable, yet they have separable and sundry
The office of officos ; as it is above said of the law and faith. Faith only, ’ which is a sure and an undoubted trust in Christ, and in the Father through him, certifieth the conscience that the sin is forgiven, and the damnation and impossibihty of the law taken away, as it is above rehearsed in the conditions of the covenant ; and with such persuasions mollifieth the heart, and maketh her love God again and his law. And as oft as we sin, faith only keepeth that we forsake not our profession, and that love utterly quench not, and hope fail ; and only maketh the peace again. For a true behever trusteth in Christ only, and not in his own works, or aught else, for the remission of sin.
The office of And the office of love is to pour out again the same good-’ ness that she hath received of God upon her neighbour, and to be to him as she feeleth Christ to herself. The office of love only is to have compassion, and to bear with her neighbour the burden of his infirmities ; and, as it is written, jame* t. opevit multitudinem peccatorum, ” covereth the multitude of sins ;” that is to say, considereth the infirmities, and interpreteth all to the best, and taketh for no sin at all a thousand things, of which the least were enough (if a man loved not) to go to law for, and to trouble and unquiet an whole town, and sometime an whole realm or two.
The office of And the office of hope is to comfort in adversity and make patient ; that we faint not and fall down under the cross, or cast it off our backs.
And thus ye see that these three, inseparable in this life, have yet separable and sundry offices and effects ; as heat and dryth^ being inseparable in the fire, have yet their separable operations. For the dryth only expelleth the moistness of all that is consumed by fire ; and heat only destroyeth the [1 Drought, or dryness.]
PROLOGUE UNTO THE READER. 15 coldness. For dryth and cold may stand together ; and so may heat and moistness. It is not all one to say, the dryth only, and the dryth that is alone; nor all one to say, faith only, and faith that is alone.
Go to then, and desire God to print this profession in thine heart, and to increase it daily more and more; that thou mayest be fuU shapen like unto the image of Christ, in knowledge and love, and meek thyself, and creep low by the ground, and cleave fast to the rock of this profession, and tie to thy ship this anchor of faith in Christ’s blood with the cable of love, to cast it out against all tempests ; and so set up thy sail, and get thee to the main sea of God’s word. And read here the words of Christ with this exposition following, and thou shalt see the law, faith, and works, restored each to his right use and true meaning ; and thereto, the clear difference between the spiritual regiment and the temporal ; and shalt have an entrance and open way into the rest of all the scripture. Wherein, and in all other things, the Spirit of verity guide thee and thine understanding. So be it 2.
[2 Thus L., but D. has Amen.]