[ So P. C. L., but D. has king, emperor, pope.] 1 [2 So P. C. L., but this last clause is not found in D.]

but also to slay all sin and the life of sin in our members. For all we that are baptized in the name of Christ, saith Paul ἡ (Rom. vi.), are baptized to die with him concerning sin; and that, as he after his resurrection dieth no more, so we after. eur baptism should walk in a new life, and sin no more. Our members are crucified with him, in all that pertaineth unto the life of sin. And if in Christ be no sin, then how can there be wilful sin in the faith that is in him, or in the quick members, that through faith grow out of him? Every man therefore that hath the true faith of Christ, purgeth himself, as he is pure. All that abide in him sin not. And all that sin have neither seen him nor known him.

As there is no sin in Christ the stock, so can there be none in the quick members, that live and grow in him by faith. And they that give themselves to sin, have neither seen, known, or felt by faith, the mercy that is in him. Our holy father then, which forbiddeth matrimony, and giveth his disciples licences, with his holy blessing, to keep whores, and pluralities, unions, and totquots, to rob the parishens?, hath neither seen nor known Christ; no more have his disciples, that consent unto his iniquity. And if they know him not, they cannot truly describe him unto us. It followeth then, that their preaching is but hypocrisy. Little children, let no man beguile you. He that worketh righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

Judge men by their deeds. For whosoever hath the light of God in his soul, he will let his light shine, that men shall see his good works. And therefore where ye see not the righteousness of works in the members outward, there, be sure, is no righteousness of faith in the heart inward. Let no man mock you with vain words. Whosoever preacheth Christ in word and deed, him take for Christ’s vicar. And them that would prove themselves his vicars with sophistry, and, when itis come to the point, make a sword only their mighty arguments, and live contrary to all his doctrine, and in all their preachings blaspheme and rail on his blessed blood, take. for the vicars of antichrist.

[3 Parishioners: see Vol. 1. p. 257.]]

He that sinneth is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the be-

ginning. But for this cause appeared the Son of God, even to

destroy the works of the devil. All that are born of God do no sin: for his seed abideth in them; and they cannot sin, because

they be born of God: And hereby are the sons of God known,

and also the sons of the devil. e. God and the devil are two contrary fathers, two con- trary fountains, and two contrary causes: the one of all good- i ness, the other of all evil. And they that do evil are born of the devil; and first evil by that birth, ere they do evil. For ere a man do any evil outward, of purpose, he conceived that evil first in his mind, and consented unto it, and so was evil in his heart ere he wrought evil; and ere he conceived evil in his heart, he was born of the devil, and had received of Ὶ his seed and nature; by the reason of which nature, seed and birth, he worketh evil naturally, and can do no other: as 3 — Christ saith, (John viii) Ye are of your father the devil, and therefore will do the lusts of your father.” For it is a common proverb, the child followeth his father’s nature!. 1 is And on the other side, they that do good are first born of God, and receive of his nature and seed; and, by the reason of that nature and seed, are first good ere they do good, by the same rule. And Christ, which is contrary to A the devil, eame to destroy the works of the devil in us, and to give us a new birth, a new nature, and to sow new seed in us, that we should, by the reason of that birth, sin no more. For the seed of that birth, that is to wete the Spirit of God and the lively seed of his word sown in our hearts, keepeth our hearts, that we cannot consent to sin; as the seed of the devil holdeth the hearts of his, that they cannot consent to good? This is contrary unto the bishop of Rome in two ^ points: in the one, that he saith, that our good deeds make us first good, and teacheth us not to believe in Christ’s blood, there to be washed and made first good; and in another,; that he saith, God chooseth us first for our good qualities and properties, and for the enforcement and good endeavour of our free-will What good endeavour is there, where the devil I possesseth the whole heart, that it can consent to no good? E

[[! So P. C. L., but in D. the paragraph ends with the quotation 1]

[from John viii. ] [2 So D., but P. C. L. has God.]]

And, finally, there is great difference between the sin of them that believe in Christ unfeignedly, and the sin of them that believe not. For they that believe sin not of purpose and of consent to wickedness, that it is good, casting and compassing aforehand, without grudge of conscience, to bring their purpose about: as ye see our hypocrites have vexed all Christendom this twenty years, to bring a little lust to effect?. “Their fathers conceived mischief these eight hundred years ago; and the sons consent unto the same, and have no power to depart therefrom: and therefore their sin is devilish, and under the damnation of the law. But if he that believeth sin, he doth it not of purpose, or that he consenteth unto the life of sin; but of infirmity, chance, and some great temptation that hath overcome him. And therefore his sin is venial, and under mercy and grace, though it be murder, theft, or adultery; and not under the damnation of the law: so that his father shall scourge him, but not cast him away, or damn him. Mark the sin of Saul and of David. Saul ever excused his sin, and could not but persecute the will of God; and David confessed his sin, with great repentance, at the first warning, whensoever he forgot himself. All that work not righteousness are not of God; nor he that loveth not his brother. For this is the tidings which ye heard at the beginning, that we should love one another, and not be as Cain, which was of the devil and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? For his deeds were evil, and his brother’s righteous. Marvel not my brethren though the world hate you.

The law of righteousness is, that we love one another as Christ loved us; and he that hath not this love living in his heart, and, when the time is, bringeth not forth the fruits thereof, the same is not of God, but of the devil; whose birth and properties of the same ye see described in Cain, how he resisted God, and persecuted the children of God for their belief and works thereof. And as ye see in Cain and his brother Abel, so shall it ever continue, between the children of God and of the devil, unto the world’s end. Wonder not therefore, though the world hate you.

[3 This sentence is not in P. C. L., but is found in D.: and the]

[expression their fathers, in the next sentence, seems to require some]

[such antecedent as our hypocrites.) (4 So P. C. L., but D. has law.]]

We know that we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. All that hate their brethren are murderers; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

If thou love thy brother in Christ, and art ready to do and to suffer for him, as Christ did for thee, then thou art sure thereby, that thou art the son of God, and heir of life, and delivered from death and damnation. So have Christian men signs, to know whether they be in the state of grace or no. And on the other side, he that hath no power to love his brethren, may be sure that he is in the state of death and damnation. Another is this, let every man look upon his heart, and be sure that he which hateth his brother hath slain him before God, and is a murderer. And murderers shall not obtain the kingdom of God, but are Cain’s brethren and the devil’s children, and are heirs of death, and ever under damnation. Compare the regiment of the spiritualty, which have had the temporal sword in their hands now above eight hundred years, unto this doctrine of John; and judge whether they have led us truly after the steps of Christ’s doctrine, or no!, Hereby we are assured of love, because he left his life for us; and therefore ought we to leave our lives for our brethren. He then that hath the substance of the world, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

If we felt the love of Christ’s death, it would sure set our heart on fire to love him again, and our brethren for his sake, and should never cease to slay our resisting members, until we could not only be well content that our brethren were in a more prosperous state than we, but aiso until we could bless rethem when they curse us, and pray for them when they persecute us, and to suffer death for them, to testify the word of their soul’s health unto them, and with love to overcome them, and to win them unto Christ If now every christian man ought to have this rule of his profession before his eyes to learn it, that he should love his brother as Christ did him, to depart with his life for his brother’s example, how far are they off from good scholars, that cannot find in their hearts

! So P. C. L., but D. omits or no.

EEUU eoe

14—19.] FIRST EPISTLE OF ST JOHN. 193 to depart with a little of the abundance and superfluity of their temporal goods, to help their neighbour’s need! My little children, let us not love in word, nor with the tongue; but with the deed, and of a truth. For thereby we know that we be of the truth, and so shall we certify our hearts in his sight.

If we have power to work, then doth the work certify our hearts that our faith in Christ, and love to God and our neighbour for his sake, are unfeigned; and that we are true children, and no hypocrites. And then are we bold in our conscience before God. And this is it that Peter meaneth (2 Pet. i) where he biddeth us minister in our faith virtue?, godly living, and all manner of good works, and therewith to make our vocation and election, or our calling and choosing, sure. For the sight of the work doth certify us, that God hath called us and chosen us unto grace and mercy.

But and if, when the time of working is come, we fly and have no power to work, then will our conscience accuse us of sin and transgression within the heart before God; and so, for fear of the rod, we dare not be bold, but draw back and stand aloof.

Let a child have never so merciful a father, yet if he break his father’s commandments, though he be not under damnation, yet is he ever chid and rebuked, and now and then lashed with the rod; by the reason whereof he is never bold in his father’s presence. But the child that keepeth his father’s commandments, is sure of himself, and bold in his father’s presence, to speak and ask what he will. “They that minister well get them good degree, and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus,” saith Paul?, He that worketh is bold before God and man: for his conscience accuseth him not within, neither have we ought to wite him withal, or to cast in his teeth. And as without the sight of the works Jacob the apostle cannot see thy faith (James ii.), no more shalt thou ever be sure or bold before God or man.

[2 So Tyndale has rendered Επιχορηγήσατε ἐν τῇ πίστει ὑμῶν τὴν]

[ἀρετὴν &e., in his translation of 2 Pet. i. 5: In your faith minister]

[virtue, and in virtue knowledge, &c.’]]

[3 For they that minister well get themselves good degree, and]

[great liberty in the faith which is in Christ Jesu. Tyndale’s Trans.] [ Wite: blame. See Vol. 1. p. 164.] 13 [TYNDALE, 11.]]

But if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

If our conscience accuse us of sin, God is so great and so mighty that it cannot be hid. Dearly beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then we trust to Godward. And whatsoever we ask, that shall we receive of him; because we keep his commandments, and do the things which are pleasant in his sight.

Keeping of the commandments maketh a man see his faith, and to be bold therein. And faith, when it is without conscience of sin, goeth in to God boldly; and is strong and mighty in prayer to conjure God by all his mercies, and therewith obtaineth whatsoever he asketh of all his promises. And the text saith, because we keep his commandments.” Yea, verily his commandments make us bold. But the keeping of men’s traditions and dumb ceremonies make us not bold before God, nor certify our conscience that our faith is unfeigned. Thou shalt not know, by sprinkling thyself with holy water, nor kissing the pax!, nor with taking ashes, or though thou were anointed with all the oil in Thames street, that thy faith is sure. But and if thou couldest find in thine heart to bestow both life and goods upon thy neighbour in a just cause, and hast proved it; then art thou sure, that thou lovest Christ, and feelest that thou hast thy trust in his blood. And this is his commandment, That we believe in his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave commandment. fhe Faith is the first, and also the root, of all commandments: and out of faith springeth love; and out of love, works. And when I break any commandment, I sin against love; for had I loved, I had not done it: and when I sin against love, I sin against faith; for had I earnestly, and with a full trust, remembered the mercy that Christ hath shewed me, I must have loved. Wherefore when we have broken any commandment, there is no other way to be restored again, than to go through repentance unto our faith again, and ask merey for Christ’s sake. And as soon as we have received faith that our sin is forgiven, we shall immediately love the commandment again, and through love receive power to work. — —

See Vol. 1. 279.]

nt. 20—24.] FIRST EPISTLE OF ST JOHN. 195 E And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that there dwelleth in us of his Spirit which he gave us.

---

← 7. Exposition of the First Epistle of St · Contents · 9. Exposition of the First Epistle of St →